Pleased To Meet You
by Atlantic Jewel
Summary: The sand sibs are new at a school, and they’ve just seen someone they know. Only thing is, she is now shy with them for some reason, and the sibs and her are all having trouble fitting in to a school where The Plastics and The Badd Boyz rein supreme…
1. I COULD SWEAR…DON’T SWEAR!

I COULD SWEAR…DON'T SWEAR

I COULD _SWEAR_…DON'T SWEAR!

**KANKUROU**

_I hate school. I hate Konoha. I think I hate Temari and Garaa right now. I hate Mum and Dad for DYING. I hate the way we all missed the train, then the second one was an express train, then the THIRD one didn't stop at…_

_Okay, I hate my life. End of story. Can we go to someone else's POV now?_

MEG: _Fine_…

**TEMARI**

Kankurou was edgy on our first day of our new school, and I don't really blame him. He's not automatically popular, like me, or a child-genius like Garaa is.

What he _does_ do is get into fights every two seconds, because he's stubborn, proud and tough.

Like, this morning?

We get to the train station, and Garaa and me tag on with our cards, but Kankurou forgot his at home.

_Rather_ then pay for a measly ticket, or just go back to the house (we can't call it 'our' home yet) and get his Smart-Rider, he makes _me_ distract the train guard by asking for directions, while he _jumps_ over the barrier, and sprints off down the station platform.

The guard was too busy staring at me to notice.

I hate being used like that.

Our new school uniform is kinda cool, better then the ones back in Suna (we've changed schools five times because Kankurou keeps getting expelled). I'm wearing a white blouse with a black bandanna, a black pleated skirt, black knee socks and black shoes.

Garaa and Kankurou are wearing white shirts, black ties, black pants, black shoes and black blazers. They hate it.

Garaa's wearing that bloody leather bracelet with the _spikes_ on it, he's gonna get in trouble for it, and will I bail him out again?

No.

**GARAA**

Temari was thinking she wouldn't help me out at school, but she was wrong.

We're in there for, like, _two_ seconds. Kankurou's looking around for some little kid to beat up, Temari's smiling at everyone, and I'm just standing there wondering what the hell I'm supposed to do, when a teacher comes up to me and says: "GET THAT BRACELET OFF _NOW_!!"

She _yelled_ it, actually, and she yelled some more when I said: "No." (Izzat so wrong?)

By now, _everyone's_ staring at us, and Kankurou goes: "I don't know him." And _bolts_, leaving me and Temari to face this old lady of a teacher who looks like she's long passed her used-by-date.

When the teacher was done yelling at me, Temari said, so calmly I couldn't understand it at all: "Ma'am, please respect my brother's individuality and style. Our parents died, you see. We're orphans, we just moved here from Suna…" She sniffed, and I knew she was about to use the crocodile tears she uses on Kankurou and me. "He's been so…so, _devastated_…"

I did my best to look 'devastated' and it must've worked because the teacher let us go.

Actually, she let us go because some kid called Naruto Uzumaki was _rollerblading_ through the hallways, and he crashed into a cute pink-haired girl who immediately yelled: "SASUKE!!"

The kid called Sasuke ducked into a nearby room, which happened to be the _girls_ room, and he ran out again when they started screaming.

Temari snickered, and I could hear Kankurou laughing from all the way down the other end of this long hallway we were standing in (everything in Konoha is bigger then it is in Suna).

As for me?

Well, I just stood there.

"Shall we go now?" I asked Temari suddenly.

"Huh!?" She gasped.

"Oh, don't pay attention to what the precocious little rebel is saying." Was what I snapped before I just walked off and left her.

Hey, I listen to _Disturbed_ and wear a bracelet with _spikes_ on it.

Just call me a punk. _Oiboi jainal darou!!_


	2. IT'S NOT WHAT IT SEEMS

IT'S NOT WHAT IT SEEMS

IT'S NOT WHAT IT SEEMS

**KANKUROU**

_I…aww, WHAT!? We're back to ME again!? ME-EEG…_

_MEG: Shut up and lemme write!!_

**KANKUROU**

_Actually, I just had a major heart attack. So, why am I not in the hospital?_

**TEMARI**

DON'T take Kankurou's metaphors literally, like Garaa does.

**GARAA**

HEY!!

**KANKUROU**

Ah, guys? This is MY POV time…

**TEMARI**

Sorry.

**GARAA**

Mutters something incoherent that MIGHT be an apology…

**KANKUROU**

Scowling

So, I was walking into class, and I see about seven girls standing on desks, holding their skirts.

_A mouse?_ I think, as I stroll casually in. _A snake? (Cool if it was). Some other third thing?_

It turned out to be none of those things, it was just a _harmless_ little bug. Oh, okay, it wasn't _little_ or anything, it was about the size of a ten dollar bill, and it was bright _green_ and had yellow eyes. There was something I remembered about it…

"GET _RID_ OF IT SASUKE!!" Screamed the pink-haired girl from the hallway, and the guy called Sasuke, who had black hair and dark eyes, rolled his eyes and sighed. He took, like, two steps towards the bug, and it turned bright red.

"YEEEEK!!" Screamed the pink-haired girl, and another girl, with long blonde hair.

_Get a grip._ I thought wryly.

"Where's Shino or Mushi when you need em'," Said a boy with spiky very dark brown, almost black hair, to a girl who could've given my punk a brother a run for his money. "Aye, Kin?"

Kin just shrugged and went back to etching something in her desk with a compass. Several other compass-designs were already featured on the desk, and some were even creatively filled in with red and/or black ink. It reminded me of the shit Garaa is always getting in trouble for back in Suna.

That's when it hit me. Of course! This bug, I'd seen its likes in Suna before. Harumbug or something like that, a cross between 'bah, humbug' and 'harumbee' (or, something in Swahili). There was something _about_ it that…

Just then, a short girl with short dark hair suddenly approached the bug in a different way then Sasuke had, and the bug turned a brilliant shade of blue.

I was looking at this girl, trying to figure her out, when she glanced up at me, and I saw _something_ in her blue-rimmed hazel-green eyes…

OH MY GOSH!! OH MY LAND!! NO WAY, NO WAY, NO HOW, IT _COULDN'T_ BE…

I realized what was about to happen, because I _knew_ and, to save face, I suddenly ran to the window and cried: "WOW!! OH LOOK, I DON'T _BELIEVE_ IT!!"

Several people ran to join me at the window.

"What!?" Cried a boy who was stocky…oh, okay he was _fat_, and he was eating CC's. "What did you see!?"

Of course, there was _nothing_ outside the window, so I just said: "It was…oh, never mind, it's gone now…"

I turned back from the window.

A few people looked disappointed.

When I looked at the girl, the bug was gone, and she was sitting quietly at her desk as if nothing had happened.

She and I looked at one another.

_We_ both knew where the bug was now, but no one _else_ had to know it.

_Hakunah Matatah…_ I thought wryly, as our teacher came in.

**TEMARI**

Wahaaa!! My brothers are younger then I am, so they're not in any of my classes!

Well, at least they can maybe look out for each other, since year ten and elevens sometimes take a few classes together (like sport and health).

My homeroom teacher's name is Kurenai, and she's really nice. I go in there and I'm standing around wondering about seating plans or whatever, and she walks in after me and goes: "You must be our new student, Temari. Don't worry about where to sit, anywhere's fine."

I'm thinking: _Like, can she read MINDS or something?_ as I go and sit down in the middle of the classroom somewhere.

Everyone else trickles in, and I'm sitting next to a girl with strange brown sticky-outty hair, like she's had it electrocuted, and also a boy who looks younger then the other year twelves, and has a black ponytail and…wait a minute, is he _asleep_?

Yup.

Luckily, Kurenai's cool, and doesn't make me introduce myself.

I have maths first.

I don't particularly _like_ maths (Kankurou _hates_ it) and I wish Garaa were here because he _loves_ maths, and he's really, really _good_ at it.

"Twelve hundred sixty times ninety seven divided by eight added to the square-route of two million and ten?" Goes this really old male teacher.

We're all staring at him, open-mouthed and in shock. But then, suddenly, the guy next to me wakes up, and says in a really bored voice, like he'd rather be anywhere but here: "Fifteen thousand seven hundred and twenty four point seven two four seven seven five seven zero zero zero nine four six eight three three eight three six one five five eight one five five nine…"

"Alright, Shikamaru, thank you." The teacher interrupts him.

I'm the _only_ one staring at Shikamaru open-mouthed, is everyone else _used_ to it!? Does he _always_ do this!?

"He probably has the world's most advanced calculator under his desk." The girl sitting next to me says.

I smile at her. "Proly." I say, as Shikamaru the calculator falls asleep again. "I'm Temari, by the way."

"Mushi." The girl grins at me, and I'm happy. I've made one friend and it's only the first _real_ class of day one!

**GARAA**

Dear Diary,

I saw HER.

Yes, HER. She is HERE. At the same school as ME. In some of the SAME CLASSES too.

I NEVER thought I'd see HER again.

KANKUROU has seen her TOO. I don't know if TEMARI has or not yet.

But I HAVE.

This is a VERY GOOD thing.

Will she REMEMBER us?

Someone suddenly grabs the diary out of my hands. I know him. This is Neji Hyuga, and he's a member of this group calling themselves the _Badd Boyz_. Can you believe it? Sasuke Uchiha, Dosu Kinuta and Zaku Abumi are also members.

I also found out, just by listening, that there's a group of popular girls too, called The Plastics. They are Haruno Sakura and Ino Yamanaka (best friends and best enemies too), Dosu's sister Ai, and their _foster_ sister, Sore Kaguya.

Anyway, so I stand up angrily. "Give it back." I say to Neji.

Neji smirks. "Little new kid's got a _diary_!" He announces to the class, and a lot of them laugh.

Neji's cousin Hinata, also with white eyes, doesn't, and neither does her friend Tenten (cute panda hairstyle) or my brother, Kankurou.

He charges angrily over to Neji, grabs him by the collar and growls: "Quit picking on my brother, Hyuga!"

Neji glares at him. "Make me." He challenges.

I've gotten my diary back by then, and I know what's coming. It's happened before.

Me and about twelve others watch Kankurou bloody up Neji's nose and blacken both his eyes, before our teacher, Asumo, comes in.

He immediately breaks up the two and sends them both to the office.

"Hey," Says a voice from behind me. "Was that _really_ your bother?"

I turn around, and a girl who is about 4'8" is looking up at me intently.

I don't gape or anything, I just nod.

"He's tough, but not as tough as Hoshi." The short girl's green eyes sparkle. She has long red hair, almost to her knees. "I'm Musha, by the way. What's your name?"

"Uh…Garaa." I reply, just as the bell rings, and I'm thankful for it.

Saved by the bell!

I add to my diary page: WHO needs FRIENDS on the FIRST DAY anyways?


	3. NAME TO A FACE

NAME TO A FACE

NAME TO A FACE

**KANKUROU**

…

**TEMARI**

Meg, don't waste your time, he's eating a _hamburger_.

MEG: Okay, Nee-San's turn to talk.

**TEMARI**

I get to the canteen at lunch time, and I'm looking around for my brothers, when Mushi approaches me shyly.

"Hey," She greets me. "Wanna have lunch at our table?"

"Uh…sure, why not?" I reply, and we go into the canteen line together.

I stare up at today's menu, which is a choice of three.

I'm standing there for about five minutes, and at last I turn to Mushi and say: "Tell me something Mushi. Which of these is _least_ likely to kill me? Viva Taco!, Vegetarian Reef 'N' Beef, or Pork Surprise?"

"The surprise," Mushi says immediately. "In that last one is there _is_ no pork. Viva Taco!, is still half _alive_, so go the Surf 'N' Turf."

"Reef 'N' Beef." I reply, as we both take the trays.

"Whatever." She rolls her eyes, and then leads me to her table.

Garaa is sitting at it, with a tiny red-haired chick.

"Yo." I greet him, sliding in beside him. "Who's your friend?"

Garaa glares at me.

"Musha," Mushi says to the short girl. "Where's Hoshi?"

"Trying to find that cute new boy, Kankurou or something." Replies Musha, who is braving the taco, and I nearly choke on my own meal.

Kankurou!? _Cute_!? Ha!!

"Hang on, isn't he your brother?" Mushi asks me and Garaa, and we both nod silently.

"Yeah, well he _is_." Musha says stubbornly, and Garaa and I exchange I look that we exchange sometimes, where I smile and Garaa just sort of nods.

Two people suddenly approach our table.

One is a boy, and he's tall with tanned skin and dark hair. The other is a short girl (maybe Garaa's height, a bit taller perhaps) and she has wavy blonde hair and green eyes and a TATTOO JUST LIKE GARAA'S!!

He and I stare as they sit down.

"I'm Kai." Kai is gazing endearingly at me.

_Uh oh._ I think. _Not again._

"I'm Mari!" She is really bubbly, and unpacks a lunch from home (I think my brothers and I are gonna have to start doing that).

"Hey, there's Hoshi." Musha suddenly points, and we all look, even Garaa, because Hoshi is making a spectacle.

Hoshi is an average height, with long black hair, _violet_ eyes and she's gothic, I can tell by her dark, dark eye makeup and jewelry.

She's arguing with a short, brown-haired girl who looks mortified.

"DON'T _DARE_ LAUGH AT ME!" Hoshi screams. "DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM!? I AM HOSHI!"

The other girl is shrinking.

"AT LEAST MY PARENTS TAUGHT _ME_ SOME MANNERS!!" Hoshi goes on. (_Did_ they?)

That was when I recognize the other girl, and I stand up because the whole parents thing is really stabbing her in the heart.

Garaa is up before I am, and sprinting across to the two girls.

He stand in front of the mortified one and says to Hoshi, quietly: "Leave Emma alone."

Hoshi glares at him. "Who're _you_? Some _other_ new kid? What do _you_ care about _her_?"

"She's my best friend." Garaa snaps.

It's not a lie.

**GARAA**

Hoshi is glaring at me, then turns and stomps out of the canteen, and, like, the _entire_ school is watching me.

Presently, things return to normal, and Emma and I are facing each other.

"Thanks Garaa." She says quietly.

It is SO good to hear her voice again.

"It's been a long time." Temari has come up to us too. She and Emma hug.

"Nee-San!" Emma exclaims.

"Did you just get here?" Temari asks her, drawing back.

Emma nods. "Uh…yeah…first day…" She looks uncomfortable. "Hey, where is Kanky?"

Emma's the _only_ person who could _ever_ get away with calling my brother _that_.

"He's around." Temari smiles, just as the bell rings. "What have you got now?" She asks me.

"Music." I reply shortly. "With Anko."

Emma flinches, but then she whispers: "Me too."

_What HAPPENED to her!? She wasn't EVER SHY before, especially around us…_

**KANKUROU**

"Kankurou!" Garaa has cornered me before music class.

"_What_!?" I snap. I've just spent all of lunchtime hiding out from a girl named Hoshi. She's scary.

"Emma's back." Garaa says flatly.

My mouth drops open. "_WHAAAAAT!!_" I SCREAM. "Are you _sure_!?"

Garaa nods. "Affirmative." We walk into music class and I can see he's thinking about heavy metal music and punk rock and shit like that (actually, I like that music too).

I see Emma though, and I'm all like: _GASP!! IT IS EMMA!! I DON'T BELIEVE IT!!_ Just like one of her favorite cartoon characters, Sailor Moon, talking about Darien being Tuxedo Mask.

Garaa is humming under his breath. I realize what it is, as we sit down (near Emma) and I start humming too, _Ya'll Wanted A Single_ by KORN.

Pretty soon, _everyone_ in the class is humming, Anko shows up and the classroom sounds like crickets.

I glance over at Emma.

She's humming, I _know_ she knows the song, we _both_ love it, and she's got this tiny smile on her face as she looks at me, and she _knows_ that I know it's her, and I'm all like: _CALM DOWN, Kankurou, RELAX, TAKE IT EASY, it's ONLY Emma…what do I mean, ONLY Emma!!_

I've always been wondering where she disappeared to five years ago…


	4. I AIN’T GOING DOWN

I AIN'T GOING DOWN

I AIN'T GOING DOWN

QUICK REFERENCE:

... - Character is not talking for some reason

!! - Character is shocked

!! - Character is _very_ shocked

?? - Character is confused

?? - Character is confuzzled (confused and puzzled)

!? - Character is shocked

..? - Character trailed off whilst a question lingers

.?! - Character just had an idea

/ - Character is embarrassed (looks like blushing)

XX - Character is mortified

KYAAA - Scream of shock

GYAAA - Scream of fright

Nee-San - Big sister

Imouto - Little sister

Nii-San - Big brother (is watching you)

Otouto - Little brother

Baka - Idiot (in the dictionary, you'll see Naruto's picture)

**KANKUROU**



**TEMARI**

Meg, again don't bother with him. He's been a real space-case since you reintroduced Emma to us.

MEG: Okay, Nee-San...hey, how about a character biography on Emma, and then _she_ can talk!

**EMMA**

Oh, umm, jeez...hmm...okay then, I guess, but isn't this story about the Sand Siblings?

MEG: And you too, now, Imouto.

**EMMA**

... /

**TEMARI**

KEWL!!

MEG: Okay, here we go...

NAME: Emma (means 'industrious' or 'Grandma')

CURRENT AGE: 15 going on 16 (year 11)

BORN IN: The Hidden Sand Village, Suna

LIVES IN: The Hidden Leaf Village, Konoha

FAMILY: Emma is an orphan :(

HEIGHT: 5'0" (shrimp)

WEIGHT: 37kg (stick-insect)

HAIR: Dark brown, short

EYES: Hazel-green, rimmed in blue

LIKES: Insects, horses, trains, reading, drawing, music

DISLIKES: Bitches, crowds, Hoshi, boys she doesn't know

FAVOURITE SONG: Likes many songs, all sorts of genres

NUTHA FAVVIE SONG: _Ya'll Wanted A Single_, KORN

Here, she'd like to tell you:

**EMMA**

KORN is a _very_ controversial heavy metal band, and _Ya'll Wanted A Single_ is one that...can I say this..?

MEG: Yes, on this network you can.

**EMMA**

The chorus goes, I mean basically the most important (to some peoples) line would be: _Fuck that, fuck that, fuck that (fuck that shit)..._that's also how the song _ends_...

Shakes head No wonder so many people either hate it or adore it.

MEG: And...you?

**EMMA**

...

MEG: Why do I even bother to try?

GETS ALONG WITH KANKUROU: You'll see...

GETS ALONG WITH GARAA: She likes metal music

GETS ALONG WITH TEMARI: Temari's her 'Nee-San'

MEG: On with the story!

**EMMA**

The teacher, Anko, was talking, but I don't think Kankurou or Garaa were paying attention.

Garaa was writing something in a book, from where I was sitting I could see he was writing another one of his infamous poems filled with hate, blood, the night and demons. They're actually kinda cool.

Kankurou, meanwhile, had moved across one chair, then another, and another, until finally he was sitting right next to me.

He whispers: "I _thought_ that was you this morning!"

I nod, keeping my eyes on Anko's back as she writes on the manuscript on the whiteboard. "Yeah, umm...ditto." I murmur.

"Do you still, you know..? Do that bug thingie..?"

I sort of stiffen. "Kankurou, I was _born_ on the streets...you know...I had to...survive..."

"Yeah, but you _still_ do that?" He's undaunted.

Me? I'm ruffled.

I just sort of nod again. "I haven't seen a Harumbug since...I moved...they're so..."

"Okay, don't...say it." He cuts me off.

"At least it _sounds_ like 'hamburger'?" I suggest, and he grins.

Oh, how I _missed_ his grin!

Garaa's punk-metal rebellion!

Nee-San's big sisterlyness!

I wonder if Kankurou still has those puppets, and listens to _Puppet Master_ by Metallica?

Does Garaa still play the guitar, and does he still annoy everyone with his MP3 Player?

Does Nee-San still cook, and will the neighbours _here_ knock on the door because the food smells so _ouishi_? (Delicious).

Delicious...hmm, that's Harumbugs...

Yes, I was raised on the streets. Sometimes I scavenged, but mostly it was Harumbugs (plentiful in Suna), moths, caterpillars, beetles...

Sigh. I admit, I _still_ eat bugs from time to time. Never had I done it in _school_, though, but it was a _Harumbug_...

By the way, as a child, I had quickly discerned which bugs were to my liking. I'll never forget my first encounters with centipedes, earwigs, bees and spit-fire caterpillars though...

I glance at Kankurou, dare to smile at him. He always found my bug-eating to be strange, but Garaa and I used to eat _snails_, so... You should know, I lived with the Sand Siblings (as everyone calls them, my Nee-San, my Kanky and my Otouto/Garaa) from when I was six to when I was ten and a half. They were like my _only_ family.

**GARAA**

Dear Diary,

I'D forgotten how COOL SHE can be.

SHE is just SO COOL. HOW COOL?

SHE rode out of SCHOOL today on a MOTOR-CYCLE.

It was SO COOL. SHE wore a PINK and BLACK HELMET, GLOVES, a LEATHER JACKET, EVERYTHING. The BIKE was HOT PINK, BLACK and WHITE. It was SO COOL.

TROUBLE is, SHE did this at about 4, when NO ONE was around to SEE, except ME and my SIBLINGS.

EVERYONE ELSE had already gone HOME. TEMARI and I had to WAIT because KANKUROU got a DETENTION for maiming NEJI HYUGA.

NEJI HYUGA DESERVED it, I think.

FRAN WIFFEN did NOT think so. FRAN WIFFEN does NOT like ME, TEMARI and ESPECIALLY KANKUROU, but ESPECIALLY ME.

FRAN WIFFEN is like one of my TWO HEALTH teachers. GAI is OKAY, a bit OUT THERE but NICE, but AMANDA HUXTABLE is NOT NICE. We all call AMANDA HUXTABLE 'THE HUXTABLE'.

TODAY I LIKED:

. TEMARI

. EMMA!

. TENTEN HELPED ME find MATHS, TENTEN is KIND

. _MAYBE_ GAI

. ANKO (ANKO let me hum _THE CURSE_ in CLASS)

TODAY I DISLIKED:

. 'THE HUXTABLE'

. FRAN WIFFEN

. KANKUROU (for making us WAIT)

. NEJI HYUGA

. SASUKE UCHIHA

. HOSHI

. MUSHA (ANNOYING)

. MUSHI (ANNOYING)

. MARI (ANNOYING)

. KAI (ANNOYING)

Temari is looking at me strangely as we ride the train to the house, can she see what I'm writing?

I close my diary quickly, and then Temari goes: "Imouto's changed, hasn't she?"

(Imouto is what Temari calls Emma).

I nod. "A bit, why?"

"SHE'S _SHY_!" Temari explodes.

Everyone turns to look at us.

"It's _not_ a volcano!" Kankurou assures them. "Just my sis...OW!!" He cries, as Temari hits him over the head with her bag. (Go Temari!)

"Now," Temari turns back to me. "I got Em's phone number, so let's call her and find out where she lives. Invite her over a lot, we'll go to school the same way as her, _oh God I MISSED her_!"

Everyone's staring again.

Kankurou grins. "It's _not_ a flood!" He assures them. "She's just cry...OW!!"

At least he didn't say Temari wasn't an angry lioness, cause it's like she _was_.

The new place isn't like our home back in Suna, despite: Temari's ornamental fans, Oriental rugs, priceless Ming vases and ornamental show-case shoes, complete with showing stands and _names_ (the _Red Numbers_ are in the dining room, the _Curious Sneakers_ are in the kitchen, and the _Swan Slippers_ are in the powder room).

Kankurou's puppets that are in the room he chose here, and there's also a few sprawled out throughout the house, _Kitsune's_ in the TV room, _Neko's_ in the study, and _Inuyasha's_ out the back by the wishing well. Kankurou is the messiest of us three. I walk into the front hall, and I see Kankurou's yellow bed-socks, his white bathroom towel and his shark boxer shorts that say BITE ME.

Temari makes him pick them all up, whilst _she_ goes and calls Emma. I stand by the phone in the kitchen and listen, and Emma seems to be a lot less shy over the phone, and she lives _relatively_ close by, and she's meeting us on the train tomorrow (she's two stops before us) and coming back here with us and having tea with us.

Just like old times.

**KANKUROU**

Emma? Coming _here_?

Garaa and Temari are unawares as I run through the house and clean it from roof to floor.

I polish bench tops and wooden surfaces with three bottles of Mr. Sheen. I wash windows. I vacuum carpets. I clean the powder room, bathroom, toilet and vanity room. I straighten out _Swan Slippers_, and rush around and find _Neko's_ missing arm under a desk. I sort out all the books in the study. I attack the kitchen and straighten out everything.

I lined up all the cups, bowls, plates and silverware. I organise the pantry so that it _looks_ presentable, like by arranging the cereal boxes so that it goes: _Cocoa Pops_,_ Cornflakes_, _Fruit Loops_, _Rice Bubbles_ and _Wheat Bix_. I attack the fridge next, and am about to throw out the cheese that's been here longer then _we_ have, when it says: "Doooon't throooow meeee oooouuuut..." In this pathetic little wail but all I can think is: _IT'S ALIIIIVE!!_ That cheese is ancient history. I move all of the things that Emma likes to the front of the fridge, like the cream of cheese, the (normal) Brie Cheese, the goat's milk and the 85 dark chocolate (bitter-sweet _ouishi_).

Then I go upstairs.

Temari was unawares as I went into her room. It's got canary yellow walls and dark blue carpet (_we are the eagles, the West Coast Eagles..._), posters of rock stars on the walls, and wasn't messy at all. But, still, I vacuume, straighten the black curtains, throw out the only rubbish on the floor (the packet from her false nails) and add more blue tak to a poster of _Mary J Blidge_ that was threatening to fall down, next to her _Pink_ poster.

Garaa's room is next, and it is _a sight_. A maelstrom. A twelve out of ten on the mess-o-metre.

It's got dark blue walls and a black ceiling, black curtains and the posters on the wall are all of _KORN_, _Slipknot_, _Disturbed_ and _Cradle Of Filth_, but I bravely venture in there and: put all of Garaa's clothes in drawers, put his guitar back on its stand and arrange it and its amplifier nicely, I vacuum in here too, I straighten out the rug, and I straighten out the slightly crooked _Metallica_ block-mount.

There. (When my sibs found out, they were furious but they promise to keep their rooms this way).

My room is next, and I go in there to the violet walls and black ceiling.

I clean up, for once. I put my clothes away, straighten out my books. I take down the posters I know Emma won't like, and leave up the ones she _will_ like (_Disturbed_, _Simple Plan_, _Metallica_, _Good Charlotte_, _Linkin Park_ and this one I have of a majestic black horse Emma likes horses and she likes that poster). I straighten out my puppets around the room - Emma always loved _Kurasu_ the best.

Then I wonder, will Emma be spending time in the TV room? How long is she staying? Will we listen to music? Watch TV? Movies?

I run downstairs, Garaa and Temari are doing their homework in the kitchen by now (homework has completely evaded me by that stage, not to mention the lines I have to hand in to Fran Wiffen).

I take a look at our DVD and CD shelves. I put the hip-hop music to the back, except _Will Smith_ and _The Pussycat Dolls_ because Emma _appreciates_ them. I put on the coffee table six CD's Emma might like: _Indestructible_, _The Bird And The Worm_, _The Sounds Of White_, _Boulevard Of Broken Dreams_, _Matching Tie And Handkerchief_ and _Band On The Run_.

I make sure her favourite movies, like _Deep Blue Sea_, _Transformers_, _Spirited Away_ and _I STILL Know What You Did Last Summer_ are within easy view.

There, that should do it.

"OTOUTO!!" That's Temari from the kitchen. "DID YOU DO YOUR HOMEWORK YET!?"

"I DIDN'T _HAVE_ ANY!!" I lie.

"He's lying." I hear Garaa say.

Traitor!

Temari makes me do my homework, and I go to bed at about three o'clock.

I hope I can wake up tomorrow to meet Emma on her train.


	5. HIGHWAY TO HELL

HIGHWAY TO HELL

HIGHWAY TO HELL

**TEMARI**

"Kankurou, come _on_!" I yell, dragging him down the footpath. "Emma said she'd be on the eight o'clock train, which left," I check my watch pointedly. "_Half a friggin hour ago_!"

Kankurou glares as he, Garaa and I run for the station. Kankurou has his card today, and we all tag on and rush for the train and make it through just as the doors shut.

"Hey!" I cry, catching sight of...Emma!

We hurry over to her, and I hug her.

"Morning." She smiles shyly at us as we sit around her. "Sorry I'm late, I was...worried you'd be mad...but you're all late too!"

We laugh.

"Kankurou was watching Sesame Street." I joke.

Emma giggled. "You too?" She returns the joke and we all grin.

"WHAT!?"

We all look around, and then this girl called Haruno Sakura is approaching us, flanked by her three friends, a blonde called Ino or something, and two dark-haired girls.

"You watched _Sesame Street_?" Sakura says loudly, hands on hips. "That is _so_ babyish!"

"_Yeah_." Ino says, smirking.

I watch Emma inch into her seat and start shrinking like she did yesterday, and suddenly a voice goes: "Get off their cases, Haruno!"

A girl with brown hair in a panda-ear-style marches up to us, followed by a shy-looking girl with white eyes.

_A Hyuga?_ I wonder, staring at her.

"Tenten, we're just jesting with some mates, aren't we?" Sakura says coolly.

"_Yeah_." Ino says.

"Then I _suggest_," Tenten said evenly. "That you go back to Maru Zoo, if you like hanging out with _mates_."

Whoa! Did she _practice_ this stuff!?

"This is _exactly_ why you're not in our group!" Sakura storms off in a huff (hard to do on a train, but she managed). Ino glares at us before following. The two dark-haired girls exchange a glance, then the lithe blue-eyed one (the other is robust, like me, with dark eyes) nods apologetically, and they hurry away.

"You guys are unlucky, getting picked on by The Plastics." Tenten looks at us. "I'm Tenten, by the way. And, this is Hyuga Hinata."

Hinata smiles at us.

"Are you related to Neji?" Kankurou has to ask.

Hinata nods shyly. "Umm...he is my, cousin..."

"Neji's just as bad as The Plastics are." Tenten says bluntly, sitting down beside me. "Him, Sasuke, Dosu and Zaku are the Badd Boyz. They, Sakura, Ino, Ai and Sore think they rule the school. Sore's not too bad, and Ai's friendly enough, but Sakura and Ino - yeechh!"

I laugh.

"Umm, Emma?" Hinata has sat down beside her (Kankurou's on the other side). "We have, umm, sport first thing...but, umm...I left my, umm...sport top at home, umm..."

"I have a spare..." Emma says quietly. "It, umm...I _hope_ it fits you..."

"Thanks." Hinata is blushing.

Emma is staring at the floor.

I roll my eyes. Great, _two_ shy mice!

**GARAA**

Co-ed sport. How unfair.

At least Emma's in my class.

Unfortunately, my health teachers teach sport.

'The Huxtable' returns...

Also, Ino, Sakura, Ai, Sore, Sasuke and Zaku are in the class with us!

How unfair!

Emma, Hinata and I stick close together, and we're playing - can you believe it? - SOFTBALL...

I _hate_ softball.

Emma does too, but she looks like she wants to show Sakura she's not a baby.

Sasuke and Sakura are team captains.

There's fourteen other people in our class.

Sakura chooses Ino.

Sasuke chooses Zaku.

Sakura chooses Ai.

Sasuke chooses an athletic-looking guy named Kiba.

Sakura chooses Sore (okay, so The Plastics were all together).

Sasuke chooses a guy called Shino.

Sakura chooses a girl named Kin.

Sasuke chooses a _fat_ guy called Chouji.

Sakura chooses that girl, Musha, because she's short but on the girls softball, basketball and track teams.

Sasuke chooses a guy named Lee (only because Lee has so much energy and likes sports, he's on the guys softball, football, soccer and cricket teams).

Sakura chooses that girl, Mari, because she _also_ has boundless energy.

Sasuke chooses

Sasuke is left looking at me, Emma and Hinata, and then he goes: "Emma, is it?"

She nods, and walks towards his group.

"Hinata." Sakura sighs.

Hinata leaves me, and then I go and join Sasuke's team.

Sasuke's team is in the outfield first.

(Is eight an okay number for a softball team?)

"I'll pitch." Sasuke says. "Z-Man on first base and we'll trade halfway through. Butcher Boy, go catcher. Rocky, second base. Dog-Boy, right-field, Bug-Boy on left-field. Garaa, I'm sticking you on centre field, trade with Em on third base."

"Cool stuffs, Uchiha." Zaku nods.

Z-Man turns out to be Zaku, Chouji is Butcher Boy, Rocky is Rock Lee, Kiba is Dog-Boy and Bug-Boy is Shino.

Aiyeeeah!! Emma's the only girl on our team!

"Oi! Tattoo!" Sasuke's new nickname for me. "Get a move on!"

I disliked Sasuke again.

I bet he disliked me too.

Sakura's team had nicknames too, and here was their batting order:

Pinku (Sakura)

Blondie (Ino)

K-Girl (Kin)

Eyez (Ai)

Kaze (Sore)

Fox (Musha)

Tatts (Mari)

Bianca (Hinata).

"BATTER UP!!" Gai shouts, and the game begins.

**EMMA**

The ball is flying straight at me. Everyone's staring, it's falling in slow-motion. If I catch it, not only will Ino be out, but I can tag out Sakura.

If I _don't_ catch it...

Sasuke is looking at me. I can almost _hear_ him thinking: _If you DON'T catch that bloody ball, I'll KILL you!_

Yikes!

Garaa is looking at me, and Hinata is looking at me, and both I can tell are thinking: _You CAN catch it!_

For that reason, I catch the ball, and tag out Sakura in the process.

"YES!!" Sasuke is cheering, because we can go and bat now.

Sasuke goes: "Right, I'll bat first, then Z-Man, followed by Emi, then..." He rattles off a bunch of our nicknames ending with Tattoo, but all I can think is - _he wants ME to bat third!? ME, EMI!!_

I must say, I think I scored a home-run because Sasuke and Zaku both needed to be 'sent home' and my team was encouraging, and I hit the ball so far. I was running (I don't like to run) and my team was chanting: "HOMER! HOMER!" And I slid into home base just as the ball flies and hits my shoulder because Sakura threw it.

She looks _furious_ and I'm blushing / because Sasuke grabs my hand, pulls me to my feet and goes: "All hail Emi, our secret weapon!"

"YEAH!!" Most of the team cheers.

Garaa doesn't, and I walk up to him when Lee goes to bat, and Garaa says to me: "I thought you didn't _like_ softball."

"I _don't_." I reply. I glance up, sensing eyes, and Sakura and Ino's glares are boring holes into me from the outfield (Kin is pitching because Kin has a _mean_ pitch). "But," I whisper to Garaa. "I _hate_ Sakura and Ino."

Garaa massages my aching shoulder, because he _knows_ me so well.

**TEMARI**

"_Dontcha wish your girlfriend was hot like me? Dontcha?_" I was singing in the girls room as I brushed my hair to tie it back up again.

Tenten giggles. "You like that music?" She asks me, brushing _her_ hair.

"Yeah." I grin. "Hey, Hinata, can I borrow a hair lacky?"

"Sure." Hinata hands me a band from a brand new package, and goes back to combing out her long raven-coloured hair.

The door opens and Kin walks in.

"Oh fuck it, I'll go to C Block." She storms out again.

I guess a tomboyish rebel punk like Kin isn't used to seeing three girls standing in front of mirrors, brushing their hair.

The door opens again, and two of The Plastics, Ino (whom I dislike) and Sore (whom I don't mind) come in. They exchange a glance, and then stand in front of the mirrors near us, and take combs and brushes out of their bags.

Ino doesn't say anything, but Sore says to me: "Are you Kankurou's sister." It's not a question, but I nod anyway.

"He beat up Neji Hyuga in Maths." Sore says simply.

I nearly drop my hair lacky and groan. "Not _again_!" I hurry out of the bathroom, and hear Ino say to Sore: "That family is so _strange_!"

I find Kankurou right where I know I will, up at the office.

He is sitting on a chair, waiting for the principal.

"Okay," I put my hands on my hips. "Explain yourself."

Kankurou glares up at me. "Hyuga started it." He mutters.

"It's _always_ someone _else's_ fault you little _baka_!" I snap, still standing.

His eyes flash. "Hey, he was picking on Garaa!"

"Garaa can stand up for himself." I reply firmly. "What happened? Where's Neji?"

"He went home." Kankurou mumbles. "His Dad picked him up in a _Mercedes Benz_."

"He had to go _home_!?" My voice rises.

Kankurou nods. "Yeah, and Nurse Suzie reckons he should go to a doctor."

"_Why_?" I can't help asking. I can't _wait_ to hear this.

"I gave him two black eyes."

"_Again_!?" I finally scream. "That's just _great_ Kankurou, I'm surprised Neji isn't _blind_ yet! The same thing happened just _yesterday_!!"

The office door suddenly swings open and Kakashi comes out and says: "You can go in now, Kankurou."

He glances at me as Kankurou gets up, and I feel I have to say: "Make _sure_ he gets _punished_, Kakashi. Do you people still use the cane around here? What about the cat-o-nine tails?"

Kankurou scowls at me.

**KANKUROU**

The burdens of having Temari for a sister is that if _she_ can't punish you, she makes sure someone else _can_.

Luckily (for me) it wasn't anything like she'd suggested, just another detention and more lines, which means I missed train-trekking home with Emma!

_I hate Fran Wiffen, and always will!_ I thought as I gathered up my things to leave.

I walk out of the school...and there's Emma on her motor-bike, waiting for me!

"Hop on!" She calls over the engine, handing me a black and white helmet. "I, umm, thought you'd need a lift..."

"I love you!" I shout as we ride onto the streets.

"What!?" She can't hear me.

"Never mind!"

"What!?"

"I've had it for three years," We're able to talk because the engine's settled down, and we're riding along a not busy street. "The government gave it to me...umm, so that I'd, umm...behave and all..."

"You?" I am surprised. "What on earth do _you_ do wrong?"

"You'd be surprised..." She mutters.

Aside from that, not much has changed about Emma, I find out that evening. She still likes the same music, the same movies, the same books. She still likes some of the things that we like, that sorta thing.

Garaa and I are cleaning up the kitchen after tea, actually, Temari ordered us to while she and Emma spend some quality 'girl time' in the living room.

"Remember when we were living together?" I hear Temari say. She sighs. "Ah, that was _so_ much fun."

"Remember when we were living together?" Garaa stands with his hands on his hips in the kitchen and mimics our sister. He sighs a funny, high-pitched sigh. "Ah, that was _so_ much fun."

"I _heard_ that you little _baka_!" Temari yells.

Garaa and I exchange a Look of our own, where I grin and his eyes just sort of sparkle, like he _wants_ to grin but has forgotten how.

I hear Emma giggling. "Some things never change, Nee-San. Does Garaa still not sleep often?"

I can tell Temari is shaking her head (call it brother ESP). "No, he's sort of gotten over that."

"Sorta?"

"Well, kitchen's clean." Garaa announces, throwing down his dish rag and stalking into the living room.

The kitchen is, like, an _eight_ of the way there to being clean.

Garaa just wanted to save his own skin from grilling.


	6. SOMEONE ELSE’S VIEW

SOMEONE ELSE'S VIEW

SOMEONE ELSE'S VIEW

**SAKURA**

Ino and I didn't sleep over at Ai and Sore's like we did the other night, so we caught the _real_ train to school the next day.

See, Ai and Sore live in Gozzies. They catch the Thornberk Line to school everyday. The Thornberk Line isn't as bad as the Legavale Line, but _still_...

The _new_, shiny, sleek white and green trains run on the Durahman and Dalajoonup Lines each day and, since Ino and I both live in Greenvale, which is a few stops down from Dalajoonup, we catch that train into school.

"Ah, the rich people's train." Ino is saying, as we climb on board.

I grin.

On the Thornberk train, for example, it's really noisy, and they play no music. On the Dalajoonup trains, which glide as softly as a cloud, they play classical music which Ino and I both love. Today it is Vivaldi Four Seasons.

"Hey." A voice greets us.

"Hi." We both say, as Shikamaru, who lives in Sonclark, sits down beside us cause he's just spotted us.

I'm not really good friends with Shika, but Ino's known him since pre-school, and I guess he's a nice guy and all, but not up there in Sasuke's league...

"What's in the bag?" I ask Shikamaru.

He grimaces. "Mum's Day prezzie for me Ma."

"Oh." I nod knowingly. Shika's parents are divorced, and he travels back and forth between the two houses (his Dad lives in Sonclark and his Mum - whom I've never met but Ino has - lives in Landmid, which has it's own train line). For Shika, it is troublesome.

"Oh, I got my Mummy a Mother's Day gift too, last weekend!" I exclaim. "A golden necklace with a Mum-Daughter symbol on it!"

"Trust you to get half out of the gift." Shika rolls his eyes.

I ignore him and add: "I also got her a bottle of Britanica Spearhead perfume, and a card with a pink flamingo on it!"

"Naturally." Shika replies, eyeing my hair, which colour I share with my Mummy.

Next to me, Ino is sinking lower and lower into her seat. "I never have to worry about Mother's Day presents." She says softly.

Shika and I both glance at each other, and I feel like groaning. How insensitive of me!

But I mean, _really_, what am I supposed to say?

Sorry your Mum died?

Sorry the greeting card people invented Mother's Day and you have to feel bad once a year?

Sorry I have a Mummy and you don't?

So, I just say what I say every year, and hope it turns things around: "Hey, look, a purple hippo line dancing with a green rhino!"

Of course, there is no such thing, just like there isn't every other year, but Ino looks anyway, and we both share a laugh.

Shika's just looking at us like we're crazy.

**GARAA**

Dear Diary,

Today I...

**NEJI**

_There's that punk ass Kankurou's punk ass brother Garaa! And, he's writing in some kind of a diary again...ooh, that punk ass is gonna be a bloody pile when I'm through with him! NO ONE gives Neji Hyuga, son of Hizashi Hyuga, TWO black eyes TWO DAYS IN A FRIGGIN ROW!!_

**HINATA**

_Oh no, Neji's on a warpath again, and it looks like...oh no, run for it Garaa!!_

**FROM THE POINT-OF-VIEW OF AI'S PENCIL TIN**

Oh no, it looks like another fight.

Ai was talking about one.

My contents, which are spilt out on Ai's desk, are spectators.

"Ooh, straight in the nose!" Goes Eraser.

"Ha, ha! Two points for the left eye!" Pacer cries gleefully.

"And another two for the right eye!" Adds Protractor.

"Garaa just punched Neji back!" Ruler yelps.

"Where, where!?" Sharpener demands to know.

"Ooh..." Red Pen murmurs.

"In the..." Blue Pen can hardly dare to say it.

"Stomach, Neji's unconscious." Compass likes violence.

Of course, I mean, Compass has a bloody _spike_ on him, and sometimes Kin borrows him to graffiti on desks and stuff, and then uses Red Pen or Black Permanent Texta or Black Fine Art-Liner to colour the designs in.

Lead Pencil says she has a good eye for art, but _I_ can only see that she has a punk, rebel personality and is _always_ looking for trouble. Yesterday?

She threatened to beat up Neji's cousin, Hinata, but she didn't because then _Neji_ would've beat up _her_.

Also, Kankurou really _did_ beat up _Neji_, like his brother just had, cept' Kankurou gave Neji two black eyes yesterday and the day before.

Sigh.

Didn't they all get over this in primary school?

WHACK!

"OOOHHH!!" Goes the class and Ai's stationary.

Apparently not.

**TEMARI**

"_Hello world, this is me..._" I trail off.

"Yeah, why _are_ we singing that?" Tenten goes in a good-natured voice, and then she looks where I'm looking, to an ambulance.

"IT'S NEJI HYUGA!!" A bunch of girls suddenly scream, as Neji's unconscious form is wheeled into the ambulance.

"One of..." Some chick is sobbing. "Of...that _new_ kid! Wahaaaa!! Oh, _Neji_!"

I go all chilly again.

"Who was it!?" Tenten shouts above the wail of sirens (yes, _sirens_, it seems _that_ bad).

"He was a real _punk_ ass!" We turn, and see a dark haired girl with black eyes standing there. I think her name's Kin, and she's got a Reputation. "Temari, your bro's at the office, practically in chains." Kin smirks.

"Which one?" I ask wearily.

"Garaa."

"Oh no." I'm off an running. Literally.

"Well, at least it wasn't Kankurou."

"_IS THAT ALL YOU CAN SAY_!!" I shriek, so loudly glass almost breaks, and car alarms go off, and a dog starts barking.

I lower my voice an inch, and yell: "_What on EARTH possessed you to send Neji Hyuga to a HOSPITAL!?_"

"He took my diary again." Garaa shrugged.

"_Then why don't you NOT bring it to school you baka!?_" I throw my hands up in the air.

Garaa looks at me like I've just asked him to not take his _brain_ to school or something. He looks a right mess, sitting there with a cut lip, two black eyes and a bloody nose.

I march over to the admin desk, snatch a box of tissues from it and fling them at Garaa.

He glares at me, like he is saying: _Jeez, THANKS so MUCH for your concern!_

Just then, Hinata comes in.

Garaa and I both look at her warily.

She is wearing a cute nurses cap with a pink cross. She doesn't look mad at all, a bit upset but at least she doesn't rip Garaa's throat out.

"I'm a nurse-in-training here at Hamaru High." Hinata explains to us, sitting down beside Garaa and beginning to wipe up the blood and put cream on his lip, that sort of thing. As she works, she tells us: "I want to become a doctor when I grow up. This is the first step. I'm learning all basic first aid, and some advanced stuff too, like CPR and EAR. I can't set broken bones or anything fancy like that, but I can tell the difference straight away between breaks, dislocations, sprains and fractures." She sounds kind of proud, and not at all shy. Business-like and brisk, almost as if she's speaking on behalf of her resume. Or something. "I can tell the difference between a real stomach ache and a fake one, same with head aches, colds and flus."

_How do you fake the FLU!?_ "Wow." I can't help but say. "You'd make a _great_ Mum..."

Hinata blushes. "Ah well, yes, my Mum gets lots of practice with me and...umm, my sister...Hanabi..." She sounds shy again, so I ask her more about her doctor-training.

She goes all non-shy, business-like again.

Garaa is all bandaged up by the time Kakashi says he can see the principal again.

"Hinata, Temari, class started half an hour ago," Kakashi takes two pieces of paper from the admin desk and writes on them. "So, here are late slips to get into class."

Hinata and I exchange a glance, and she hurries away to Maths and I hurry away to Health.

I glance at my late pass and roll my bright green eyes.

**Please excuse Miss. Temari for being late, as she was in the front office talking some sense into her brother, Garaa.**

**Kakashi**

There was a complicated-looking signature there too, followed by the date and it was written in _pen_, so it was good for one use only, but this note got me into 'The Huxtable's' class late, but I still got a Look anyway.

I don't care, as I sit down next to Mushi.

"I heard what happened." Mushi whispers to me. "Sorry about it..."

"I'm used to it." I reply shortly. "Did I miss anything?"

"Nah," Mushi shakes her head, making her springy hair sproing. "We waited for you, we're just about to start."

SEX. 'The Huxtable' writes on the whiteboard in huge red letters.

We all lean forward.

'The Huxtable' turns around and goes: "Sex. _Don't_ have it. Because, if you do, then you _will_ get chlamydia, and you _will die_!"

We're all staring at her, open-mouthed.

Eight girls, all of us in year twelve and _legally_ allowed to 'do it'. So, why was she telling us that we _couldn't_?

AH! I know! She's a _Miss_! She's not married! She's probably still a virgin!

I check her left hand. Yes, I am right, as always.

"Don't have sex," 'The Huxtable' repeats. "Without protection, at _least_." She holds up a box. "Everyone come and get a banana and a condom."

What?

This class just keeps getting better and better.

Well, stranger and weirder, more like it.

Especially when my you-know-what flicks up, flies across the classroom towards the door, and hits Shikamaru Nara on the head as he comes in to hand 'The Huxtable' some letter from the office or something.

Oh man. I'll _never_ live this down.

The guys were watching from outside!

They'll probably bring this up periodically until we graduate this year. Maybe for the rest of our lives.

It'll be right there on my tombstone - She hit some poor guy with a condom.

Maybe I should change names and move schools...


	7. TRACK RIVALS

TRACK RIVALS

TRACK RIVALS

**SASUKE**

"You're going to regret what you did, punk ass." Garaa was no longer Tattoo, he was a lowly punk ass, he and his brother, and they were going to regret what they did to Neji.

I am Sasuke Uchiha. But, you knew that. _Everyone_ knows that, because I'm this school's greatest.

Or, at least I _used_ to be.

I was the greatest academic achiever.

Until Garaa.

I was the greatest talk of the town.

Until Garaa _and_ Kankurou.

But, I am _still_ the greatest athlete.

"Boys," Gai calls. "Obstacle course time, come along gents!"

We all line up: Me, the punk ass, Z-Man, Bug Boy, Dog Boy, Butcher Boy and Rocky.

The girls are standing there on the sidelines, to cheer us on.

Well, Sakura and Ino are.

"Go Sasuke!" They call, waving to me.

I grimace, and sort of nod back.

Hinata isn't the cheering type, and neither is Emma, but she glanced at me, then nodded at Garaa.

I understood. Garaa and Emma seem to know each other.

Well, I'd show _her_ I was better then that punk ass.

I'd show _everybody_.

Well, except Kin, because Kin isn't the cheering-type either. More the 'get benched for arguing with the teachers because they wouldn't let her participate' type. Kin stands alone most of the the time, but seemed grateful for Ai and Sore keeping her company on the bench.

Mari and Musha...

My God! They have, like, _pom-poms_ and cheerleader skirts.

"Go, go, go!" They cheer, pom-poms flashing, legs kicking.

_No, no, no!_ I think, just as Gai blows his whistle and we're off.

I don't care about the other boys. I just wanna beat Garaa, the punk ass.

He is looking at me. He wants to beat me, too.

_No way punk ass._ I try to send him this Look as we approach the first set of obstacles, which are hurdles.

Garaa and I go flying over the hurdles - hey, he's not bad for a shorty.

Butcher Boy? Let's just say Chouji may need to binge eat a _lot_ to live this one down. I can see myself even as I run, going home and I'll say to Itachi: "Chouji Akamichi fell over on the first hurtle. He split his pants and all the girls saw his Barbie boxer shorts!" If Itachi is in a good mood, he will laugh. If not, well, I'm a pretty fast runner, as you can see.

The next hurtle is tires to step in and out. Garaa and I run in and out of them, taking quick, neat, little, high steps.

Shino and Kiba both trip, so they're out.

Garaa, Lee, Zaku and I go on, and I'm determined to beat Garaa.

The next obstacle is a balancing beam.

Garaa must've taken gymnastics or something, because he just sprints across like it's solid ground.

Me? I just pretend it _is_, and that gets _me_ across.

Lee gets across too, because he went to circus camp for five summers a few years back. I'm serious.

Zaku, I have to say, has _no_ balance, and he falls off and he's out.

So, it's down to me, Garaa and Lee, the last 100M dash.

"Go Sasuke!" I can hear Ino and Sakura screaming.

Then: "Umm, and Lee!" Sakura and Lee are sort of friends, and she'd feel bad cheering for me and not him.

Then...

Emma has wandered over to Mari and Musha, and whispered something to them. Suddenly, the two cheerleaders grin and, pom-poms flying, they yell: "Garaa, Garaa, he's our man! If he can't do it, _no one_ can! Sliding down a waterfall, landing on a cactus - Lee and Sasuke need more practice!" (What?). "Garaa, Garaa, strength of mind, leave the others way behind! Extra, extra, read all about it, Garaa will win and there's no doubt about it!"

Actually, Garaa did _not_ win, Lee suddenly pulls ahead in the last 10M, and _flies_ across the finishing line!

I tell you, that kid's _fast_!

I'm fast too, but...

Garaa turns to me as I cross the finishing line a nano second after him. He smirks at me like he's beaten me...

Which he _has_...

I feel about two inches tall as I trudge through the halls.

Rather then attending my next class, which is English, I go to the library instead.

No one knows I do this. But, I'll tell _you_, the library is my sanctity. Always has been, always will be.

Libraries have always been that way for me.

I remember wandering aimlessly for hours on end through the public library just after my parents died.

I spend hours alone just reading when Itachi takes his anger out on me.

When school gets me down, like today, I come here.

I suddenly hear voices from the back, and I press myself against a shelf of horror books as I listen in, wanting to forget my own troubles.

Now, I _know_ eavesdropping isn't the right thing to do, so sue me as I listen to this:

"I _can't_ face them!" I'd know _that_ wailing anywhere.

"Sakura, you got a B. What's so bad about that?" Is that the new girl, Temari?

"You don't understand, Temari." Sakura says angrily, sniffling. "My parents are so uptight! Neither wants to have anything to do with me, unless they're pressuring me with my schoolwork! I _have_ to get straight A's, or else they get _really_ angry and disappointed!"

"Oh." Temari's voice sounds strange.

"Don't tell me _your_ parents are like that!" Sakura says angrily. "No _way_ they can be like mine are!"

"My parents are dead." Temari says shortly.

"Oh!" Sakura gasps. "Te...Temari, I'm so sorry, I didn't know..."

"It's okay." Temari replies but, I can tell from her tone of voice, that it's not.

I know. I've used that tone of voice before, too.

MEG: Okay, a short chappie, but vital nonetheless!


	8. SCHOOL’S OUT FOR SUMMER

SCHOOL'S OUT FOR SUMMER

SCHOOL'S OUT FOR SUMMER

MEG: Okay, now I _know_ I've been using a lot of Australian terms, but school here, I've decided, is run a bit like American schools, with summer _vacations_ and all like that.

**KANKUROU**

Okay, please _someone_ try and tell me the _point_ of my siblings and me starting a new school and then, two weeks later, it's summer vacation time.

_Where_ is the sense in _that_!? Now, we've got three months to spend wondering and re-worrying about our classes, and then in September it'll be like starting school for the first time all over again.

If we had parents, we might be a little better off.

Emma is worrying too, because she's new as well, though not _as_ new as we are, but still new.

"Think about it," Temari is trying to cheer us up on the last day. "Garaa, you can spend all day listening to rock music! I think _Simple Plan_ is performing here in July!"

Garaa seems a teensy bit happier, as happy as he can get I suppose.

"Kankurou," Temari says to me. "We'll have more time to make hamburgers for tea! And, we can go and see _Grendle And The Gladiator_ at the Spare Parts Puppet Theatre!"

I _guess_ that makes it a _bit_ better.

"And, Emma," Temari turns to her. "You can practically live with us, just like before! You can ride your motor-bike all day - hey, you can teach _me_ to ride it!"

Emma nods thoughtfully.

"And _I_," Temari says proudly. "Am going to get a tan at the beach, do some more home cooking rather then ordering take-out all the time, _and_ I am going to make the place seem more like a home."

"How will you do that?" I ask her. The very idea seems impossible.

"Oh, I have a plan..." She says slyly.

**NEJI**

I made myself a promise, I will _not_ go near Kankurou or Garaa today. If I see them, I will look the other way.

Damn, in our last class I'm sitting next to Kankurou.

We trade glares and eye-rolling, but I remember my promise, and he holds back his tongue.

Maths is okay, but it doesn't mix well with the last day of school.

Everyone, and I mean _everyone_ except the teacher is watching the clock on the wall at the front.

Tick. Tock. Tick. To...

I narrow my eyes at it. _Get stuck, and you die._ I warn it.

...ck.

The minute hand sloooowly creeps around.

Soon, soon...then, no punk ass and his brother for three months! That's, what, twelve weeks! Eighty-four days, two-thousand and sixteen hours, and...

Oh, never mind.

Maybe I wouldn't have to see _anyone_ from school, except my mates. I could live at someone else's place for one million twenty-thousand nine-hundred and sixty minutes...

Maybe at Zaku's place. Not Sasuke, because I don't like his older brother, Itachi. And, not Dosu's, because staying _there_ meant I'd have to see Ai and Sore, and Dosu's Dad whom I also do not like.

Zaku's parents are musicians. Well, they're not his _real_ parents, they adopted him. But, they're a bit like him (or, he's like them, whatever) and they're _so_ cool. Mrs. A plays the piano and sings, and Mr. A plays the saxophone. I never thought jazz and swing could rock until I heard _them_ playing.

Yeah, I think staying at the Abumi's place sounds like a plan.

Or, so I think until a note reached me from the front where Dosu sits in Maths.

It says: **Z-Man goin' away 4 most of June, back 4 July 4th, then goin' away for another 2 weeks. Pass it on.**

I stare at the note for a second, before turning around and lobbing the note perfectly to Sasuke's desk.

Then, I turn around. _Great, NOW where do I go? I'll be stuck hanging around the house with Hinata and Tenten!_

"Ten!" Ino suddenly yells.

All gazes fly to the clock. Good Lord, she's right!

"Nine!" Chouji adds through his Mars Bar.

"Eight!" Sakura cries. I bet she's thinking _80_.

"Seven!" Sasuke calls.

"Six!" Mari shouts.

"Five!" Says Kankurou from next to me.

Not to be outdone, I chant: "Four!"

"Three!" Dosu adds. Yeah, that's right, _three_ of us Badd Boyz left here in Konoha.

"Two!" Emma exclaims, looking happier then I remember seeing her. _Hey, she's kinda cute when she smiles._ I realise.

"One!" Naruto bellows. "I'M NUMBER ONE AND _SCHOOL'S OUT_!!" He stands on his desk. Everyone cheers, jumps up and, to my horror, breaks into song.

"_Well we got no choice!_" Naruto yells. "_All the girls and boys!_"

"_Making all the noise!_" Kiba stands up next to him. "_Cause they found new toys!_"

"_Well we can't salute ya, can't find no flag!_" Kankurou joins in as paper is flying and people are cheering like it's New Year.

"_If that don't suit ya, that's a drag!_" Sasuke sings - Sasuke can sing, it didn't matter, it was like a scene from _Grease_ or _High School Musical_. Or both.

_School's out for summer!_

People are piling into the hallway, shouting happily, going to their lockers, paper was still flying.

I pass by Sakura, who has the school's _only_ pink locker.

_School's out forever!_

"YEE-HAAW!!" Naruto flies down the hall on his rollerblades. Shika catches him before he flies off the third floor landing.

_School's been blown to pieces!_ (Yeah, right).

I sigh and shake my head. I won't miss this.

**SASUKE**

Naruto is such a _baka_.

"WHAT TIME IS IT!!"

So is Kiba too, for that matter.

_What time is it? Summer time!_

"_It's our vacation!_" Ino and Sakura sing in unison.

"_What time is it_!?" Naruto yells.

"_Party time_!" Chouji is thinking about food as we all burst through the doors of Hamaru High.

...

"Uh, who can remember the next line?" Someone asks.

...

"Oh well, that was short-lived." Sakura shrugs, and then she stands up on the water feature wall.

Uh oh...

"_Everybody wants to live, I been one of them_!" She sings.

Ino stands up with her and joins in.

Soon, everyone's singing, even me.

Even _Neji_.

We're singing for a long time, it's one of the traditions here, I forget who started it.

We sing _Grease Lightning_.

_Vacation_ (by Vitamin C). (Lee brought a ukelele just for the occasion).

_Don't Wanna Grow Up_. (_It's the same old shit, never end..._)

_In The Summertime_. (_That is where I'll be!_ Followed by some awesome guitar music, I dunno _who_ played that).

_Sunshine And Summertime_. (Well, the _girls_ sung that one).

_Long Live The Weekend_.

Yeah, well here comes one _big_ weekend. I'm sure Neji's told you _exactly_ how long.

**TENTEN**

"Hey, Hinata, wanna come over?" I ask her as we leave behind those who are still singing.

She grins. "Okay. Are we going to the beach tomorrow?"

"Us and half of Hamaru High." I respond, as we walk towards the train station.

"_Summer lovin', happened so fast!_" Uh oh, someone is singin' _Summer Lovin'_ from _Grease_, I mean singing.

It's Kankurou! He's at the train station with his siblings, and also Emma.

Emma looks at him like he's crazy, but then she sings: "_Summer lovin', had me a blast..._"

Whoa! She can _sing_!

"_Met a girl, crazy for me..._" Kankurou is grinning.

"_Met a boy, cute as can be..._" She is smiling now too.

"_Summer fling, don't mean a thing, oh-h, oh those summer nights..._" They sing together.

"_Oh well, oh well, oh well, oh well..._" Where did Kai come from?

"_Tell me more, tell me more!_" And Chouji?

"_Did ya get very far?_" Kai asks Kankurou.

"_Tell me more, tell me more!_" I say to Emma. "_Like did he have a car?_"

"Yikes!" Emma cries.

We all laugh.

"Sorry 'bout that," Temari grins at us all. "Otouto and Imouto are _always_ doing that. They did that ever since we were little kids." She shakes her head ruefully. "They get along so well," She whispers to me. "Like brother and sister, really. But..."

"You think there's _more_?" My eyes shine as we all board the train.

"Maybe..." Temari is grinning.

I grin too.

Then, I can't help but start singing: "_It's got what it takes!_"

Temari and even _Hinata_ join in: "_So tell me why can't this be love?_"

Then _Garaa_ shocks us all, by finishing up with: "_You want it straight from the heart! Oh, tell me why can't this be love?_"

I'm _still_ not sure why Emma bolted just then, and got off at this random stop _Wickwar_, but she waved to us and mouthed the words: WHO SAID IT _COULDN'T_ BE?

Kankurou was grinning like a Cheshire Cat.


	9. MISUNDERSTOOD

MISUNDERSTOOD

MISUNDERSTOOD

**KANKUROU**

The next day was _supposed_ to have been good, but it _wasn't_.

Because of The Plastics and the Badd Boyz, of course. Can't they leave us alone even during summer vacation!?

Apparently not.

We decided to go shopping for things we'd just found out we needed, and we invited Emma along too. Then, just for larks, _Temari_ decided to invite Tenten and Hinata, her new friends. Hinata can't come, but Tenten's friend Lee, can.

So, we all met up at Gateways Shopping Complex in Berncoh, and Temari has her list with her, which she takes out and reads out, and it's embarrassing.

"New shoes for Garaa," Temari is saying. "Plus he needs a new guitar pick, and, umm...well, he knows where _Diva_ is." Garaa needs new eye makeup, and was grateful I could tell, when Temari didn't just come out and say it.

She goes on: "Otouto needs a new hair brush, new, umm, shorts of the boxer variety," (Tenten giggles). "And he wants to check out the new art shop, _Kiss My Art_."

"I _love_ that shop!" Tenten says. She grins. "It has _everything_! Let's go there now!" She leads us off.

"But," Temari is saying, I can hear her. "My bra, and my new black shoe polish, and the hamburger patty mix..."

"GET THE MINCE MEAT BUTCH!!" I yell back to her, and she scowls and she, Lee and Garaa go to Wollingtonwerths, and Tenten, Emma and I go to the art shop.

"I need new water colours and a new canvas." Tenten says when we get there.

"I need some new wood polish and something to fix a puppet's arm." I add.

"And _I_," Emma says softly. "Need a new drawing book."

We split up, and each find what it is we're aiming for here.

We're standing in line, waiting to pay, and who's in front of us?

Haruno Sakura.

She turns around and sees us. "Oh, it's _you_." She says wryly, raising an eyebrow.

"Hi Sakura." Tenten says coolly.

"Yo." I say.

Emma says nothing.

"How come you're here?" Tenten asks her casually.

"Buying a new set of chalk pastels." She replies smugly. "I'm gonna make my Mummy a picture to hang in the living room."

"Ooh, how _nice_." Tenten said bitterly. "I'm sure _both_ your parents will be _thrilled_."

"I _hope_ so." Sakura says softly, just as it's her turn to pay.

I watch her pay with a credit card, and ask the clerk if there's any new chalk pastel canvases, which there _is_, so of course she gets one of them too, and _then_ she leaves, but not without first saying: "My parents are hosting a huge dinner party on Wednesday. Your invites are coming in the mail." She turns and flounces away.

"I don't like her." Tenten says flatly, as we purchase our stuff.

"She was being pretty pointed about the whole _parents_ thing." I remark, taking my bag from the clerk.

"Oh, that's just cause she knows I'm stoic about not having any." Tenten says simply, as we leave the shop.

Emma and I turn to her.

"You're an orphan?" I ask her gently.

Tenten nods. "Lee and I live together and support one another. He hasn't got parents either, so we get money from the government, and..." She bites her lip, and her eyes look bright.

Emma, who is standing between us, links her arms through both of ours and says: "Well, let's go back to Nee-San, Garaa and Lee. We orphans should stick together.."

**SAKURA**

I watch as those three walk away from the shop, arm-in-arm. I was sorry I had made them all so upset, but it's not _my_ fault that I have parents and they don't! Just like I can't help that Mrs. Yamanaka died, can I!? The truth was, I actually knew that Mum and Dad _hadn't_ invited any of them, but I was going to change that. I'd invite them myself. Mum and Dad would never notice a few extra people.

They're so snobby about their friends, and mine as well. They only let me be friends with Ino because my Dad works with her Dad and because the Yamanakas live in a three-storey house like ours. Mum and Dad like Sore because she is polite, refined and knows how to act around them. They _don't_ really like Ai, but they feel that they _have_ to because Ai and Sore are foster sisters.

Mum and Dad like Sasuke because he is really smart, gets good grades, is good at sports - sigh, my Sasuke is _perfect_. They like Neji too, because Neji is a Hyuga. They Hyugas and the Harunos go back a long way. They don't really like Dosu either, because of what happened to him, but once again they must because of Sore. They don't like Zaku because Zaku is too rough and unrefined for their tastes.

"Marry an Uchiha or a Hyuga, and you'll go a long way." Dad always likes to say to me. "_Don't_ marry an Abumi, a Kinuta, a Nara, an Akamichi, an Aburame, an Inuzaku or an Uzumaki."

"Don't worry," I'd told Dad. "About the _Uzumaki_. Naruto is a jerk. Kiba's no better! Shika...maru is _so_ boring, Shino's a bug freak and Chouji's a fattso! Eew, no _way_ can I dishonour the Haruno family name like _that_!" (There are plenty of _other_ ways to dishonour a family legacy)...

"That's right, good girl." Mum had smiled at me. It was one of the few times when she did.

Do my parents realise that _two_ out of about a thousand or so families is kind of bland?

I wondered how they'd feel about Rock Lee?

Or, those two siblings that Neji loathes, Kankurou and Garaa?

Just so long as they liked Sasuke, I suppose I was fine.

They like Hoshi, because her parents are rich too, and Musha and Mushi because, like Sore, those two know how to act around my parents. Even though Mushi's parents are divorced, she never sees her Dad and lives with her hyperactive, artsy Mum. And Musha is a shrimp, who's family trains guide dogs and stuff. We have a dog, a white toy poodle named Genevieve.

Yup, I seemed to have everything the siblings didn't have, except they did too.

Well, I had my dog...

I walk past the pet shop, and there is Temari, and the others are crowded around her.

"She was free," Temari is saying, and I slow down a bit. "Because the government paid for her. Her name is Tequila!"

Did she just get a Mexican Walking Fish? (An Axolotl).

No, she brought a dog.

And, not a Chihuahua or a Pug or a Pembroke Welsh Corgi, either.

I see through the group, and there, cradled in Temari's arms, is the most adorable, sweetest, cutest, most _angelic_ little puppy I have _ever_ seen! I'm not kidding, she's fuzzy and white and I think she's part Alaskan Malamute or Shiba Inu or something, but then she opens her eyes and they're striking _blue_!

Tequila is the most adorable dog in the world.

Genevieve is cute, but...well, her diamond-studded collar couldn't be...

"Oh, look!" Temari suddenly exclaims, as Tequila noses at a display case of collars, and then selects a particular one and flips her head back so that the blue collar is sitting on her perfectly. Matching her eyes perfectly.

"She's so smart!" I hear Emma exclaim.

"Woof!" Tequila barks.

"Aaw..." Say a bunch of complete and random strangers.

Tequila is making herself and the others into instant celebrities.

Once again, I'd been beaten.

But, they were still coming to my party.


	10. IN THE HOUSE

IN THE HOUSE

IN THE HOUSE

**TEMARI**

Emma stayed over one night early into the school holies because...well, because. She wanted to, I guess, and _we_ certainly weren't going to say no.

She brought her large pet parrot Jaws with her.

"You!" Exclaimed Kankurou when he saw the bird sitting on Emma's shoulder.

"Squaaurghk!!" Jaws took flight and Kankurou chased him around the living room.

"Those two will just never learn." Emma said wryly. "Actually, Jaws missed you guys heaps...me too..."

I hugged her.

I was awake early, as usual. Jaws sits in the kitchen with me as I make breakfast, and the others wake up. I feed Tequila and she's looking at me, like she is _so_ happy we adopted her.

"Oh, you're so cute!" I say for the twelve hundredth time.

Then, I check the clock, and go upstairs to find out what's taking everyone so long.

I pass by the bathroom, and the door's open. Emma and Garaa are standing in there, by the sink. Emma is holding Macleans Tri-Clean Toothpaste, and Garaa is holding Panteen Shine Shampoo.

The sink is full, and then Garaa pulls the chain.

He and Emma squeeze their bathroom products into the sink.

"Go Macleans!" Emma calls.

"Nah!" Garaa cheers. "Panteen wins again!"

(Emma and Garaa used to do this all the time back in Suna).

"Because you got the proper lane!" Emma declares. "I...think...wait, but in Suna _I_ always used to win...tell me again how does..?"

Garaa sighs. "Okay, here, watch the toilet, see?" He flushes it. "See, the water runs _that_ way instead of the other way, like it does in Suna."

"Like...so it..?" Emma flushes the toilet, just to confirm.

"AAAUUURRRGGGHHH!!" Kankurou, who is having a shower next door, screams and we hear the searing sound of boiling hot water hitting skin. "WHO KEEPS _DOING_ THAT!! STOOOOP!!"

"Sorry Nii-San!" Emma and Garaa both call in unison, then turn back to the water.

"Come here." Garaa takes Emma's hand and leads her to the study, and I follow, curious now.

"See, this globe that Temari brought yesterday?" Garaa unwraps the globe I was actually going to give to our new neighbours. "Okay, see it?" He spins it a few times.

"Uh huh." Emma nods.

"Okay," Garaa points. "Now, Suna is on _this_ side of the equator...uh...that line _there_." He points it out, and Emma nods again. "And Konoha's on _that_ side, so everything with water, sink, toilet, whatever, on _that_ side runs backwards then it does here."

"Ohhh..." Emma looks like she's just received the wisdom of the ages. She points: "So, the water in...Kiri, or..." She points again. "Ron Newman, runs backwards then it does back in Suna?"

"Yes," Garaa says witheringly. "And," He adds, inspired. "In Ron Newman, people wear hats on their hands and hamburgers eat people!"

"Did you hear that Kanky!?" Emma calls to him.

"He's making it up!" Kankurou yells back.

"How do _you_ know!?"

"Because _everyone_ knows that in Ron Newman, people wear hats on their _feet_!"

"Hey!" Kankurou calls from the front door about ten minutes later. "We got mail!"

We all crowd around him.

"Bulk bill, catalogue, subscription, postcard from Matsuri, phone bill, letter from school, letter from the Hyugas, pink envelope from the Harunos..." Kankurou pauses, then tosses into a nearby bin the catalogue, subscription (to join some blood doner thing), the letter from school and the letter from the Hyugas. I quickly retrieve the last two, and Kankurou hands me the bills. He hands Garaa the postcard.

"She's on Taro Island, hope she's having fun." He says unenthusiastically, before tossing out the postcard.

"What did the Harunos want?" Emma asks cautiously.

Kankurou opens the envelope, and takes out the letter.

It's on pale pink paper, with gold writing.

"Miss. Haruno Sakura," Kankurou reads. "Wishes to extend this invitation to Miss. Temari, Mr. Kankurou, Miss. Emma and Mr. Garaa...wait, how'd she know Em was here?"

"Keep reading." I urge him.

"To attend a formal dinner and gala party at the Harunos - the address is here too - on June 25th. Formal attire is expected. Thank you very much, dear friends." He rolls his eyes. "Yech. Well, are we going?"

"Formal attire..." My brain is ticking like a bomb.

"Uh oh..." Kankurou mutters. "Shouldn't have read that part..."

"That means..." Emma is looking at me, realising.

"Shoes!" I cry.

"Purses!" Emma adds.

"Dresses!"

"Shawls!"

"Coats!"

"Accessories!"

"Make-up!"

"Hair styles!"

"SHOPPING!!" We both cheer. "TODAY!!"

The boys groan, but what can they do?

We leave straight away.


	11. I HEARD YA

I HEARD YA

I HEARD YA

**GARAA**

"If we see _one_ more person we know, I might scream!" Kankurou whispers tensely to me.

I nod. "Yeah, it's like _everyone's_ shopping, probably for the same thing."

"Yeah, proly." Agrees Shikamaru.

"Hey, how come he's here?" Kankurou points, too startled to scream.

Shika shrugs. "Just going to the same shop, I guess."

"_Tuxedo's And Masks_?" Kankurou rolls his dark brown eyes. "Yeah, let's leave the ladies here in _Angel Bride_."

**TEMARI**

"Okay, this is fun!" My eyes are probably sparkling. "The government gave us all enough money, they must _really_ want us to behave!"

"Don't be looking at _me_ fool!" Tenten jokes, cause since when is _she_ ever in trouble?

She, Emma, Hinata and I are standing in _Angel Bride_, surrounded by everything you'd need for a dance or ball or wedding.

"The Haruno party?" The store clerk goes. She nods. "Okay, write your names here, and once you've selected a dress we'll write it down so no one can wear the same as you."

"Excellent." I say, as we all write our names. "Okay girls, go wild!"

I shouldn't say that, really, but we weren't _too_ wild.

We all ran around giggling and finding dresses for ourselves and each other.

"How about this?" Tenten thrusts a salmon-coloured dress at me.

"I'm not wearing a _fish_!" I exclaim.

"Good thing Mari's not here, she freaks out at the very _word_!" Tenten grins, and returns the dress to the shelf.

"Nee-San, can I try this on?" Emma shows me a dress.

I glance at the dress. "It's cute." I remark.

I glance at the price tag. "It's _pricey_!" I add. "Can you, umm, _afford_ it?"

She frowns. "Hmm, maybe not..."

The dress goes back on the shelf.

Finally, we all have a dress to try on, with shoes as well.

Tenten makes Hinata go in first, to get it over with.

We all stay outside to critique.

I pick up _Fedora_ just to see what's new. Hmm, apparently salmon is the new black...hmm...

Hinata steps out just then.

"Ooh!" We all marvel.

She's wearing a peach-coloured cocktail dress with an old-fashioned look about it, and her shoes are cute brown ankle boots.

"I can style your hair for you," I say thoughtfully. "And, I have a pair of earrings that'll really _go_."

"Thanks..." Hinata blushes, and steps back inside the change room.

Tenten goes in next.

"Imouto," I say to Emma. "My star sign says I'll be depended on a lot this month, and that I should remain calm at all times."

"What does mine say?" She asks.

"Look beyond what you see, because this month your heart will be tested..."

"What does Hinata's say?"

"Don't walk on the white squares."

"What does _that_ mean?"

"How should I know?" I shrug, as Tenten steps out onto this little runway near the change rooms (this shop rules).

"Tenten, _wow_!" I cry.

Tenten is wearing a blue and black Chinese-style dress called a cheongsam. There is a slit up one thigh, and she is wearing black flats.

"If you style your hair...umm, as per the _usual_..." Emma is glancing at Tenten. "Then I have a hair accessory that'll look...fab..."

"Thanks Em!" Tenten chirps, and hurries back into the change rooms.

Emma gets changed next.

"Yup." Tenten is sitting beside me, flicking through another magazine. "Simple Plan's performing in Konoha soon."

"_What_ magazine is _that_!?" I cry. Then: "_What_ is a Blunt Magazine doing in _here_!?"

We don't find out, because Emma steps onto the catwalk next.

"Wow..." Tenten looks awed.

Emma is wearing a light pink cocktail dress with sequins on the front, it is off-the-shoulder and has a flared skirt, and her shoes are silver.

"Umm, Emma?" Hinata says nervously. "I have a pair of gloves that, umm, well they might suit...the dress, umm..."

"Thank you..." Emma mutters, and then hurries to get changed, and I step into the dressing rooms next and quickly change.

"Ta-da!" I say, stepping onto the catwalk.

"Ooh!" Emma exclaims. "Nee-San, blue is your colour!"

My dress is sky blue with a silver sheen, knee-length, and ties up at the neck and then has long, off-the-shoulder sleeves that fan out. The shoes are white heels.

"You know," Tenten is examining my features. "Your eyes could stand out more if...and your cheekbones...hmm, if I, okay I can do your makeup for you!"

"Thanks Tenten!" I cheer, and hurry back to get changed.

We start paying, just as Ino steps out of a change room.

She is wearing a rich purple knee-length evening gown, tall black gloves and black heels. She looks about twenty-two.

"I...Ino?" Hinata suddenly calls to her.

"What!?" Ino snaps.

"You...look very...elegant..." Hinata stammers.

"Very refined." I add.

"Grown-up, too." Emma smiles.

"Purple really suits you." Tenten is very artistic, so she should know.

Ino stares at us. I glance around the store. She's here alone? Why isn't she here with her Mum?

Unless...it wouldn't surprise me, considering me and my brothers, and Emma, Tenten, Lee...

"Ino?" I call out. "Wanna have lunch with us?"

Ino face lights up.

Has anyone other then The Plastics ever asked her that?

**KANKUROU**

"Is that Ino?" I stop dead in my tracks.

Ino _is_ sitting with Temari, Emma, Hinata and Tenten at a table in Peckish Tina's. They're all smiling and laughing!?

"Yes." Shika gives me a Look, and I remember he and Ino are friends, so I go with him to the table. Garaa lags behind. Chouji, whom we picked up somewhere, runs to the counter to order (glutton).

"How much did ya spend?" I ask Temari as I sit down.

"347." She replies calmly.

My mouth drops open.

Garaa looks at Emma.

"408." Emma answers the unspoken question. "And, umm...50c...it was on sale!" She adds hastily.

"Err, well, umm..." I clear my throat. "It's _your_ money."

"Yes," She replies, taking me by surprise. "It is."

"Did you get suits?" Temari asks us.

Garaa and I both nod.

"With _ties_?" She adds firmly.

Again we both nod.

She sighs. "Colours?" She looks like she's dreading the answer.

"Black suit for me, purple tie." I reply smugly. I can't go wrong with that, she can't argue with that.

Temari looks at Garaa.

"Black and black." He mumbles.

"Goth..." Ino whispers.

"Excuse me?" I glare at her. "Did you just..?"

"I'm sorry." Ino says suddenly, looking straight at me. "I say things before I think. It's just..." She glances at Garaa. "Well...I'll be honest, he _is_..."

Garaa is wearing all black today, despite that it's, like, 40 Celsius.

"Then," Garaa looks up from his drink suddenly. "_I'm_ going to say that Ino's a snob."

We're all silent for a moment, and then Temari says: "Well, if you put it _that_ way, I might as well say _this_ then - I think Chouji's a glutton."

Chouji gapes at her, but recovers quickly and says: "Then _Hinata's_ a shy mouse!"

Hinata turns red, and it's like she might cry, but then she looks at _me_ and says: "Then, umm...I'm sorry, Kankurou...but I really honest to God think you're a bully!" She says in a hurry.

She must mean about Neji.

Temari is laughing now. "Ha! _That's_ absolutely right!"

"Nee-San," I gaze sadly at her. "You can't laugh. You dress like a...well, like a slut."

Temari gasps, and her cheeks colour.

"Ooh, but it's true..." Emma mutters.

"_You_ can't talk either." Shikamaru suddenly reminds her. "The way _I_ heard it, you're diet is like Timon's from The Lion King!"

Emma is quick. "At least I know how to _work_ for something, lazy-bones!"

"At least he's not a panda bear wannabe like Tenten is!" Temari is still feeling a bit waspish.

We all stare at one another, and then each of us bursts out laughing.

"I guess I _am_ a snob at times, I'm sorry." Ino smiles radiantly at us.

"I have to eat," Chouji _is_ eating. "I'm still growing."

"Yeah," I remark. "_Sideways_!"

Emma nudges me.

"Okay," I add. "So I _am_ a bully at times, it's in my nature, so sue me." I shrug, and take a big bite out of a hamburger.

"I'm sorry I'm so shy..." Hinata mumbles.

Tenten hugs her, and says: "And my hair style is my personality, and I like it."

"Me too." Temari admits. "I just said it because...well..." She sighs. "Okay, so I dress like a slut at times, I'm trying to change."

"Miracles do happen." I remark.

She glares at me. "What about _Garaa_!?"

"Okay," Garaa sighs. "I can't _help_ my style."

"Yeah." Tenten says pointedly.

"I _am_ lazy at times." Shikamaru says boredly.

"Poor Shika." Ino pats his arm. "It's so hard to change how you've been since birth, aye?"

Shikamaru rolls his eyes.

We all look at Emma.

"You don't have..." I begin, but Emma cuts me off.

"No..." She sighs. "I was born on the streets...I've been dependant since I was two, I lived with Nee-San, Kanky and Garaa for awhile, but before that...yes, I ate bugs to survive and it's a habit I've never fully broken." She says firmly.

"Then..." Ino says thoughtfully. "Hinata, should we warn..?"

"Oh yeah." Tenten groans.

"Don't go near Shino Aburame," Hinata warns Emma. "Because he's a bug freak."

"Imagine if they got _married_," Ino suddenly muses. "Every time Emma ate..."

"It'd be like a death in the family!" Tenten realises.

We all glance at Emma again.

She looks expressionless. Then, suddenly, she grins and says: "I'm a pro at funerals, but what about weddings?"

"Not the same!" Ino cries. "You'll have to get to one soon!"

"I know!" Emma replies.

The two smile at one another.


	12. BITCH FIGHT

BITCH FIGHT

BITCH FIGHT

**MARI**

Summer school.

How unfortunate.

F is such an UGLY letter.

Flunk.

Fail.

Forget your Friends, Mari.

Grandma's being nice about it. Summer school doesn't have a uniform, so Grandma let me buy some new clothes, pink and yellow combinations. Also, new stationary, books and a backpack.

Kai's not going. That's because Kai's so smart, he's _skipped_ ahead a year.

I'm now _two_ school years behind him. How unfair is that?

I _did_ have company, though.

Mushi was there. So was Chouji, and of course Naruto was there.

Hoshi was there, too, but she didn't talk to me once.

Kin wasn't there, because Kin bullies other people into doing her assignments _for_ her. When taking tests, she finds a way to get all the answers before hand, and then writes them on her hand and arm. The teachers never notice.

Let's see, who else..?

Sasuke, Sakura, Shikamaru, Dosu, Zaku, Sore, Shino, Neji and Hinata - all smart enough that they don't _have_ to study.

Tenten, Lee, Kiba, Ino, Ai and Musha - just average smartness, enough to get through.

The new guys - Temari, Kankurou, Garaa and Emma - didn't even get _notified_ about summer school, since they just got here and they don't have any work to catch up on.

So, I go into the school, and the first person I see is Naruto, hanging dangerously from a balcony.

"Mari! Help!" He yelps.

I rush to pull him back up, because I'm strong for my size.

"Oh, so you guys are here too?" Chouji comes up to us, munching on chips, and Mushi strolls up the stairs. She grins.

"Let's all stick together." She declares.

"Yeah, soldier on guys!" Naruto jokes.

"Who do you, munch, reckon our, munch, teacher is?" That's Chouji, of course.

"I hope it's not..." I walk into the classroom doorway where I know I have to be. But, I wish I _didn't_. I wanna run home, run inside past Grandma and Felix the cat, run upstairs, jump into bed and go to sleep _quickly_, without even taking a calming tablet.

"Oh!" Mushi groans too. "It _is_! Mari, you _jinxed_ it!"

"I did _not_!" I reply.

Chouji nearly drops his bag of chips.

Naruto walks in, unknowing, and then suddenly stops dead in his tracks. "Whoa! So _this_ is your summer job!?"

"Sit down already, would ya!?" Itachi Uchiha snaps.

We _zip_ into our seats, and the rest of the class is silent with fear as well.

After awhile, I have come to realise that summer school's not all that bad, except for Itachi, of course.

Having friends there helps.

"Remember," Mushi grins at me on the day before the Haruno's party. "When you thought you brought a calculator to class, and it was your TV remote!?"

We all laughed.

"Yeah, and the same kind as the classroom telly, so when she pressed it, the TV came on and the horse-race was on!?" Chouji adds, munching on a Crunchie, King Sized of course.

"And," I add, remembering. "What about the time Itachi came in and had a cold?"

"Ah, classic..." Mushi sighs.

"Until we _all_ got colds." Naruto points out.

"Yeah, but we got to stay off for two days." I remind him as we cross the street to the train station (we, at Hamaru High, must _live_ on these things).

"They sent us _homework_." Naruto groans.

"I got my sister to finish mine." Mushi smirks. (Mushi's sister lives in an apartment, and sometimes Mushi stays with her).

"Have you no pride in doing your _own_ homework?" I admonish her.

"Hmm..." She pretends to consider this. "Nope!"

We all laugh.

"Well, I go this way." I say, pointing to a sign above me that says THORNBERK LINE. They label things so well in train stations.

"Yeah, me too." Naruto grins.

"I'm visiting Choiki tonight," Mushi tells us (that's her sister). "So it's the Dalajoonup Line for me." (Choiki lives in Sonclark).

"Same old Legavale Line for me." Chouji is looking for more chips. "Oh, did you hear about the 4th Of July BBQ on the Foreshore?"

"Yeah," Naruto nods. "You guys all going?"

"Yup." Mushi replies. "With Ma and Choiki, and...also Musha and her parents, but I dunno bout' Hoshi..."

"Why don't we all go together?" I ask suddenly. "Grandma and I are going with Kai, we can take you too, Naruto."

"Jeez, thanks!" Naruto grins happily.

"My Dad and me are going with Ino and her Dad," Chouji is saying, as he locates a bag of Maltesers. "Shika said he won't go with his Mum _or_ Shikaku," (Chouji calls Shika's Dad by his first name, and Shika calls Chouji's Dad by _his_ first name, which is Chouza.) "So, he's coming with us, and let's all hang out together."

"Yeah, summer school kids forever!" Naruto cheers, and we all slap high fives (high _twenties_?), and then we board our trains for home.

**EMMA**

Everyone was planning for the party on the Foreshore. I was going with Nee-San, Kanky and Garaa, of course, and we'd decided to bring Tequila and Jaws, and we were going to hang out with Tenten and Lee, and Hinata and her parents and little sister, and _maybe_ her Uncle and cousin, Neji.

But, before all this, was the Haruno's party.

I stayed at the sand sib's house again, and we all got ready, Hinata and Tenten came and went, and we all looked so refined when we were finished.

Temari made Garaa comb his hair. _I_ had to comb Kankurou's hair for him and, in the end, I just made him wear a top-hat because his hair is stubborn - like he is.

"The good part is," Kankurou was grinning. "We look elegant, beautiful, handsome and cool, but there's no parents around to snap a zillion pictures!"

He was wrong, because he says this and, suddenly, the front door flings open and in come the Hyugas!

"Oh, how _adorable_!" Hinata's Mum cries when she sees us. "Hiashi, get the camera!"

He's wearing it around his neck, and the living room light is 'just right'.

I'd forgotten about asking the Hyugas to take us there (actually, Hinata suggested it).

Hinata gives us a million I'M SORRY Looks, one for each picture, Hanabi looks so cute in pink and white lace, and Neji is glaring at Garaa and Kankurou.

Temari notices. "Keep em' apart." She says, and grabs Kankurou's hand to make him sit beside her in the limo. Hanabi sits next to them, and starts talking to Kankurou about sock puppets. Kankurou can't _stand_ kids, but the sock puppet conversation was just his forte.

Neji's Dad sits up front with the driver, so Neji sits with his Aunt and Uncle, leaving me, Hinata and Garaa to the back seat.

"Cool..." Garaa is saying, as he makes the power windows go up and down. "Hey, Em, look, I'm magic!" I presses the button and then draws his finger across like it's directing it or something.

But, when we get to Sakura's house, _that's_ what's magic.

It's like a palace, so big and lights were sparkling.

People were getting out of limos, wearing gowns and suits. Men in top hats held the doors open for women in long dresses.

"Wow." Temari says, as we walk across the lawn. "Can we all say _Cinderella_?"

"More like the ugly step-sister." Kankurou grumbles, and Temari and I both nudge him.

Sakura is at the door, greeting guests and she looks lovely in a hot pink cocktail dress and silver heels and a silver shawl.

"Hi, so glad you could come." She sounds genuine enough. She directs us in, and into the ballroom we go, yes she _called_ it that...

Whoa! It's like a palace, and the buffet tables, the lights, chandelier...

Mr and Mrs. Haruno look like a king and queen in a fairy tale, and I tell myself DO NOT BE JEALOUS...

I think of my motor-bike, and Jaws. Yeah, Sakura doesn't have a motor-bike, or a parrot...

She _does_ have...

(She took us on a guided tour).

A three-storey-house, an outdoor pool shaped like a flower, an indoor, heated pool with a water slide, a greenhouse (it was _hot_ in there!), a massive kitchen, a bedroom the size of C Block, a hedge-maze out back, a toy poodle that can do circus tricks, and a shiny pink convertible, all her own.

(Oh, and parents).

By about ten o'clock I am fed up. Fed up with Sakura's boasting, people saying how nice her house looks, even the music.

I remember seeing a baby grand piano upstairs, and I slip away without being seen and I go upstairs and there's no one in the room (which, I think, might have been an upstairs parlour).

I sit down at the piano, and start to play _Enough_, by Disturbed, and sing: "_When the moment's died, when there's no more pride, when your soul is frozen, it's bad enough..._"

**NEJI**

I'm walking around upstairs, bored and pissed off, when I hear beautiful music and singing from the parlour.

I tiptoe to the door, look in and there's Emma, with her back to me, playing the new song by a _metal_ band, and _singing_.

"_When your heart is broken, a thousand times!_" She sings.

"_With every moment, you spend in love..._" I finish softly for her.

She gasps, and jumps up. "Oh! N...Neji Hyuga, you scared me!" She stammers.

"Sorry." I say. _She's lovely! That dress looks so elegant on her!_ "Anyway, I just found something - wanna see?"

She pauses, and then nods. "Okay, s...sure..."

I lead her to the third floor, and then to the attic. We climb the stairs, and I turn on the light.

"Oh wow!" Emma exclaims, staring around at the huge plasma screen TV, the sound system, the video game system...

I look slyly at her. "Wanna verse me in _Mario Kart_?"

Her eyes gleam. "You're on, Neji Hyuga!"

As we sit down, and start playing the game (I'm Mario and she's Princess Peach) I understand that she calls me by my full name because _Kankurou_ does, and she spends a lot of time with him.

Well, he wasn't here now, with her, but _I_ was...

We played a few games, won some, lost some, and just then Naruto, of course, comes in.

"Hey, cool room you found!" He plonks himself on the floor right between Emma and me. "Let's do three-player! Come on, I'll verse ya's! Can I be Donkey Kong?"

"Yeah!" Emma exclaims.

What can I say? Just beating Naruto five times was enough revenge for me, but then _Sasuke_ showed up, and he and I are friends, so...

"What're you doing up here?" I ask him as he races in, closing the door behind him.

"Hiding from Sakura, what else?" His eyes land on the video game. "Hey, how's about a four-player rally? I get to be Yoshi!"

"Go, go!" Naruto yells a few minutes later.

"Watch out for the egg!" Sasuke cries. "Ha, ha, _bullseye_, or should I say _donkey-eye_?"

Emma and I exchange a grin.

Just then, a few _more_ people rock up, in the form of Tenten, Hinata (looking for me), Mari, Mushi and Kiba. Okay, so we start playing in rounds after that, best out of three, tag team battles. That's when Shino, Dosu, Lee, Kin and Musha show up at about eleven o'clock, and ten minutes later we are graced with the presences of Shikamaru, Kai, Temari and Garaa.

Kankurou shows up about a minute later, settles himself next to Emma.

Then, Hoshi comes in. "Oh, so here you all are." She drawls, and parks herself on a sofa next to Mushi.

Chouji wanders in with bowls of chips, and it's like the party's up _here_ now.

"How low can you go!?" Naruto cheers as Lee and Musha limbo (_no one_ can beat Musha, who's only 4'7"!)

"What about Sakura?" Emma asks me, sounding worried.

I glance at her.

That's when Ino comes in.

"Ino, where's..?" Emma begins.

"Who cares?" Ino snaps.

"Did you two have another fight?" Hinata sounds worried. "I'm going to go and look for her."

"Me too." Emma follows her out the door, and Kankurou runs to catch up with them.

They're gone for, what, five minutes or so, and then the door bursts open.

Sakura is standing there. Her face is red, and tears are streaming from her eyes, but she sounds angry beyond words when she yells: "SO _THIS_ IS WHERE I FIND YOU ALL!! _THIS_ IS THE THANKS I GET!! NONE OF YOU EXCEPT _SASUKE_ AND _NEJI_ WOULD'VE BEEN INVITED IF NOT FOR ME!!" She glares at Garaa and Temari. "_ESPECIALLY_ NOT YOU!!" She screams, then turns and runs from the room.

No one says anything for a minute or two. Then, Naruto says, in the most serious voice I've _ever_ heard him using: "We've got us a problem here."

Duh.


	13. POOR SAKURA?

POOR SAKURA

_POOR_ SAKURA?

**TEMARI**

"Nee-San!?"

"What is it Em?"

"Can you come here?"

I walk into the bathroom, where Emma is showering.

"What's wrong?" I sit down on the bath steps. I know for a fact that Emma doesn't shower in the middle of the day unless she feels bad - not _sick_, but as in _upset_. Also, that if she called me in here, she wanted to talk.

"I feel bad about Sakura." Emma says. "If Neji Hyuga hadn't wanted to show me that room, none fo the others would have come and stayed up there."

"So then...isn't it _Neji's_ fault?" I suggested.

"_Nee-San-_"

"Sorry." I reply. I sigh.

"Sakura probably feels like she has no friends now." Emma goes on.

"Well, she _yelled_ at us all." I pointed out.

"Because we deserted her." Emma remarks.

"You're right, maybe we _should_ apologize..." I _hate_ saying I'm sorry' to anyone but my family and Emma.

"I'm going to tell Sakura it was because I went up there first." Emma decides firmly.

"What about Neji?"

"What about him? I don't wanna get him into trouble, because..." /

"Imouto, are you _blushing_!?"

"No!"

"You are!" She's switched the shower off and is standing in a towel in front of the mirror. I can see her red face from where I sit. "Do you _like_ Neji?"

Softly, she says: "He is nice to me...I...I never got that from anyone but Nee-San, and Garaa and Kanky..."

Kankurou? Oh man, he's not gonna like _this_ turn of events...

Of course, it should make sense, I mean Emma's known Kankurou since we were kids, she probably thinks of him as more of a big brother, since she and Garaa both call him Nii-San. Still, I'd always _known_ there was something special between the two...

Until Neji came along...

Oh, why couldn't it have been _anyone_ but _him_!?

Even _Naruto_ would have...hmm, then again, maybe _not_...

All day I'm wondering how to tell Kankurou, and I can't face anyone until I do.

If I do, then I run the risk of saying it the wrong way. Kankurou is _very_ sensitive.

I decide to take a walk, and that's when I run into Hinata.

"Oh, Temari!" She looks pleased to see me, but also a bit nervous. "Umm...can I, umm..._talk_ to you...about..?"

"Emma and Neji?" I sigh.

Hinata's eyes widen. "How did..?"

I told her about the conversation I'd had with Emma earlier on.

"Neji, umm...he likes Emma..." Hinata mutters.

"I guessed as much." I reply. "I _cannot_ figure Emma out anymore, sometimes. Like, does she think of Kankurou as her big brother, or does she _like_ him? Why do they get along so well? What about Garaa? He and Emma get along as well. But now...Neji is..."

"I'm sorry." Hinata mutters.

"Don't be." I tell her. "It's not your fault. No one's to blame, except maybe _God_...aurgh, how on earth will this end?"

"With tears," Hinata says softly. "From one or all of them."

"I'm afraid you're right, Hinata." I say quietly. She's right.

"Poor Sakura." Hinata adds.

I stop and blink. "_Haruno Sakura_? _Poor_?"

Hinata glares at me.

"_Ohhh_," I realise. "You mean _poor-poor_, not _money-poor_…"

Hinata rolls her white eyes, and I grin.


	14. THE SECRET LIFE OF HYUGA HINATA

14

14

THE SECRET LIFE OF HYUGA HINATA

MEG: I watch too much School Rumble. Gomen nasai, wari wari!

**HINATA**

_I'm coming, don't panic, I'll be there!_

_I can hear him calling, HELP ME HINATA!_

_I SAID I'm coming!!_

I run as fast as I can, through the deserted alleyways, knowing every second counts. I run faster, my breath catching in my throat every so often, because this is my first mission since January. I'm outta shape.

Must run faster!

There, I see him there, crouching near a wall, and there's the man, holding the gun.

"Don't move!" I order him.

"You!" The gunman growls. He stares at my black leather body suit, my dark sunglasses. "Hyuga!"

"Stand back Alonzo." I hear _another_ voice say, and then _he_ steps out of the shadows.

I grimace. "Fat Tony."

He nods back at me. "Hyuga." He sighs. "How many more times must we go through this?"

"As many as it takes." I reply, just as he pulls a gun from his sleeve and SHOOMP! I dodge the bullet, and then roll, stand up, and another one comes from Alonzo's gun.

"Same tired old tricks." I sigh, as I bend over backwards, almost touching the ground with my hands, and then I flip and hit Alonzo with my boot, diamond-heeled for maximum efficiency.

I've dealt with the Maru Mafia before, but _still_ they keep at it. I've tangled with them many times.

"Where's the money, Fat Tony!?" I bark.

"I'll never tell!" He replies. "I came here to kidnap Jimmy, rich old Mr. Banks' son, and I…" He is cut off, because 'Jimmy' has hit him squarely in the back of the head with a piece of metal piping.

"You shouldn't have done that, sis." I snap.

Hanabi takes off her disguise and glares at me. "Why _not_?"

"How will we find out where the money is?"

"Easy." Hanabi replies. "He keeps it hidden in the _one_ place we _know_ it is."

I gasp. "The _school_!"

She nods. "Exactly. I heard him say it, he thought I was unconscious. I sure showed _him_ I'm no 'little Jimmy'!"

I hug her. "Hanabi, what _would_ I do without you?"

"_That's_ why we're the infamous Hyuga girls, but no one outside of the Underworld knows about us!" Hanabi grins.

Just then, Fat Tony's mobile phone beeps, and I pick it up off the ground.

Tony, the message says. I got the REAL Jimmy kid, the other one's a fake! We're awaiting further instructions at the mine!

The mine?

I glance at Hanabi.

"I have dance class tomorrow." She tells me, shrugging.

"Then I guess," I reply confidently. "That it's all up to _me_."

Hanabi and I slap a high-five. "Hyuga!" We cry!

MEG: What the!? Is that _really_ Hinata and Hanabi!!


	15. SCARED YA!

15

15

SCARED YA!

**TEMARI**

I know the day is starting out for disaster before I even open my eyes. I just lay there and then I groan.

"Squawk!" Goes Jaws, right in my ear practically. "Up and at'em Nee-San! Squawk!"

We're all up at the crack of dawn just about. Emma slept over again, and she knocks on my bedroom door and says: "Kanky was so sleepy he fell down the stairs. Izzat alright?"

"Just leave im' there." I mumble, raising my head slightly from its feather pillow.

"Don't go back to sleep!" She calls to me, and then I hear her say: "Morning Garaa! Sleep well?"

"I _didn't_." He replies.

"Oh."

"What happened to Kankurou? Did you push him down the stairs?"

"No."

"YES!!" Yells Kankurou from somewhere downstairs.

I think I went back to sleep then.

Jaws, of course, woke me up by singing _You Are My Sunshine_, so of course I have to get up, and I feel better after a shower.

Kankurou knocks on the door and bellows: "IS THERE ANY HOT WATER LEFT FOR THE _REST _OF US!?"

Suddenly the water goes boiling hot and I scream.

"SORRY NEE-SAN!!" You can guess which of my darling brothers and certain house-guests _that_ was...

I towel dry myself and go into my room so Kankurou can have a shower.

"Uh huh!" Emma appears out of nowhere, and nudges Kankurou aside so that she can get inside the bathroom. "_I'm_ having a shower next!"

"Go back to your own house!" Kankurou howls.

"Do you _really_ want me to?"

"Yes!" He exclaims.

"NO!!" Garaa and I both shout.

In my room I get changed, and then I just stare at myself in the mirror.

Emma wanders in, and stares at _herself_ in the mirror, too.

"We look like scouts." She says finally.

"Or girl guides." I mutter.

We're both wearing fawn-coloured shirts with matching shorts, white socks and these brown sneaker-boot thingies. I am wearing a yellow and brown checked bandanna, Emma's is red with blue stripes on the ends.

"Remind me _why_ we signed up for this..." I mutter, not wanting an answer as we trudge downstairs and we leave for the train station and, on the way to school, _fifty-two_ people ask us where we're going (I know, I counted - I also counted that Kankurou kicked twelve of them in the shins). The guys are dressed the same, except without bandannas and they have these _hats_...

Emma starts humming some sort of explorer/Indiana Jones music, and that's fair enough, except that _Kankurou_ started calling us Sailor Moon and Sailor Mercury, and _that_ got annoying...

After we get off the train (and after Kankurou apologizes to the twelve people he's kicked) we make our way to the school.

"Sure looks _different_ on summer break, I mean even _more_ so then _normal_..." I waste no emphasis and emphasize nearly every word, just to prove a point.

Well, here we go...

We get to the parking area and, like, we're looking at the national federation and collection of girl guides and boy scouts or something!

Not _everyone_ signed up for this camping trip (those that did were promised 'life changing experiences and vast rewards' - yeah, it changed my opinion on nature entirely, and possibly nature's opinion on the lot of us, and I feel rewarded knowing we all survived) but here's who _did_:

(Yes, we arrived last, and everyone stared at us).

Kiba Inuzaku (he has a dog called Akamaru, and his parents and sister, Hana, were taking care of Tequila for us - Jaws was coming along with us, believe it or not).

He was standing near Chouji Akamichi and Shino Aburame. One was wearing the shades he _always_ wears, and one was eating a massive bag of Original Doritoes, I'll leave you to guess which is which...

There was also Naruto Uzumaki, Neji Hyuga and Kai, standing about ten feet apart from each other, and Neji scowled when he saw my brothers, and they scowled back at him, and I also noticed Kakashi was there, and he had confiscated Naruto Uzumaki's roller-blades.

Okay, so that's the _guys_. The _girls_ accompanying Emma and me are:

Tenten, wearing a bright green and white checked bandanna, and Hyuga Hinata, wearing a light pink bandanna. Mari is standing with them with a pink and yellow two-toned bandanna, and I can hear her, she's saying: "I hope there's no you-know-whating, you know, with _rods_ and _bait_..."

Kai hurries over to reassure Mari.

"I think Mari's scared of fish..." Emma whispers to me, and I nod knowingly.

Hey, I'm scared of clowns, so we're not _all_ perfect.

Not like Ino Yamanaka (purple bandanna) and Haruno Sakura (pink bandanna with red stripes), who are standing on opposite sides of the car park, arms crossed, noses in the air, looking like two bloody stubborn stuck up _bitches_!

Oh, guess who _else_ is here, wearing a black bandanna and a bracelet with a skull design on it? _Kin Tsuchi_. I think now (and I find out later from Kurenai) that Kin was _forced_ to come, or else she might be expelled and then her parents would kill her, or worse, _disown_ her...

"Okay crew, everyone's here, good!" Kakashi marks everyone's names off on the roll. "Now, does everyone have a hiking buddy?"

"No!"

"Then find one!" Snaps Anko.

Her tone of voice ensures we _all_ find a partner within the next thirty seconds.

It goes Emma and me, Kankurou and Garaa, Hinata and Tenten, Mari and Kai, Kiba and Shino...then, since the rest of them _couldn't_ actually choose, Anko angrily chose _for_ them.

Neji and Chouji, Ino and Kin and Sakura and Naruto.

Sakura nearly had a cow.

Kin knew how to shake her up, as we boarded the bus (Gai was driving).

"You can swap partners with me, Saki." Kin says sweetly.

"Go to hell Kin!" Sakura snaps, and flounces towards the back of the bus.

Kin smirks and finds her seat.

Kurenai, Gai, Kakashi and Anko double-check everything, and then we're off.

"Squawk!" Jaws says suddenly, before we've even left the car park. "Let's sing, squawk!"

**GARAA**

Dear Diary, camping journal

Day 1

TODAY we are on the BUS. I am sitting next to my HIKING BUDDY, my BROTHER KANKUROU. EMMA and NEE-SAN are sitting IN FRONT of us.

SAKURA just got ANGRY because NARUTO opened the WINDOW and SAKURA got DRENCHED by a SPRINKLER we were passing.

I NEARLY LAUGHED, but I did NOT.

EMMA did though, and so did EVERYONE ELSE, but NOT SAKURA. Nor NARUTO, because HE got in TROUBLE with KAKASHI AND ANKO.

ANKO is kinda SCARY.

**TENTEN**

"Don't ask." I say.

"How did..?" Ino blinks.

"Look," I stand up. "EVERYONE!" I shout, as we pull along a mountain road. "LEE IS AT HOME WITH THE _FLU_! _THAT'S_ WHY HE'S NOT HERE, UNDERSTAND!?"

"Yes Tenten!" They all respond, except Sakura who's sulking.

Naruto, of course, says 'yes Tenten' later then everyone else, so his voice trails after them.

I just sigh and sit back down, and Hinata, Ino, Kin and I are playing a _mean_ game of Tic-Tac-Toe.

"Best out of three!?" Exclaims Ino, who's lost again.

Hinata and Kin exchange a smile, and then Hinata goes: "Kin, did I, umm...see you yesterday..?"

"No." Kin says flatly. "You did not."

I am interested. Hinata was at the hospital yesterday, so if she saw Kin there...why..?

**MARI**

We made it to the campsite up in the Yama Mountains without many mishaps.

Oh, wait, Naruto's hat blew out the back window, and Gai had to stop the bus so Naruto could go and find it. Then Anko delivered a _loooong_ speech about keeping body parts and items of clothing _inside_ the bus at all times.

Then Chouji spilt a bag of M&M's all over the floor, and Kiba slipped over and nearly killed himself.

Then Naruto, Chouji, Kai and Kiba, sitting at the back of the bus, started singing 'We Will, We Will ROCK You' and stamping their feet to the beat so it felt like an earthquake on the bus.

"Ka-_ka_-shiiii!!" Sakura was wailing. "They're so _annoying_!! Make them ride on the _roof_!!"

"CAN I!!" All four boys cry at the same time.

Kakashi raises an eyebrow and says: "With _Gai_ driving?"

_That_ deterred them almost instantly.

Now we're piling off the bus in the middle of the forest. I stretch my arms up and sigh happily. "Ohh, nature _rocks_!"

Kai points to a massive rock formation by the campsite.

"_No_," I say witheringly. "_Not_ that kind of _rocks_!"

"Isn't that a kopje?" Says a voice I haven't heard too much, and it's Nee-San's youngest brother, Garaa. How does he know _that_? I wonder, as the koppie attracts the attention of the other campers.

We watch Naruto scramble up the kopje and roar, and say: "I'M THE _LION_ KING!!"

We leave Kakashi to deal with that, as Anko hands out assignments like a drill sergeant.

"There are eight tents to pitch!" She says, tossing the bundles to the boys. "So start _pitching_!" She throws the last one at Naruto, who's been pulled off from the rocks by Kakashi, and she adds: "Here Uzumaki, make yourself _useful_ for a change!"

Naruto scowls at her, but obeys.

"Now, ladies," Anko turns to us, and we all wince. "While the men are doing all that, Kurenai is going to start unpacking things from the bus. I want Hyuga, Tsuchi and Yamanaka to give her a hand, then go through and sort everything out into groups. Organise the food supplies, and keep them _away_ from Akamichi."

"Yup." Ino drawls.

"And, Temari and Tenten," Anko goes on. "Since you're the strongest, can you two give Gai a hand, he looks like he's struggling with that tent..."

We all look, just as the tent flips over, and Gai looks like a turtle trapped and he's tangled in it.

Anko's eyebrow twitches. "No good men." She murmurs. She turns to the rest of us, as the 'strong girls' go to help with the pitching of the tents, and Kurenai starts handing supplies and bags to the other girls. "Mari, can you go and get...uh, hang on..." She looks at me, then turns to the new girl, Emma, and says: "Emma? You and that bird of yours, please go and fill up some canteens of water from the creek, do you know..?"

"Yup!" Emma stands up and calls: "Jaws, come on!" She hurries off through the woods, and her handsome parrot is flying beside her.

"Okay, Mari and Haruno, please go and gather firewood." Anko says.

Sakura's mouth drops open. I betcha little Miss. Haruno Sakura hasn't collected firewood in her _life_! "What about _you_!?" She exclaims.

Anko's eye glints. "Strategy!" She says gleefully.

"For what?" I'm afraid to know.

Anko sets out a huge map of the mountains, a compass, a find-your-way compass and a set of pencils and pens on a nearby tree stump. "You'll see." She says mysteriously.

"We're doomed." I realise.

Sakura sighs. "Come on Mari, let's go."

"Is this enough dy'a think?" I ask Sakura.

I have my arms full of wood, but she's hardly collected _any_!

"You got all the wood _first_, Tatts." She tells me crossly but triumphantly.

"Here, take some of mine." I empty half of my bundle into her arms.

"Hey! Mari!" She shrieks.

"What?"

I ask her.

"Since when have _you_ been serious about _camping_!?" She cries.

"I was a girl scout as a kid." I reply, nodding to the special badge I keep on my sleeve. "Plus, before my parents divorced, we used to go camping all the time. Mamma taught me how to use a compass and a map, and Daddy taught me about tracking, and firewood."

"Then," Sakura says as we're walking after awhile. "Remind me to be in _your_ group for whatever it is Anko's planning."

"Sakura, are you mad at everyone?" I ask her suddenly.

She snaps: "Of _course_ I am!"

"I'm sorry," I _hate_ having people mad at me. "I'm..."

"It's too late for that Tatts." Sakura says sadly. She trots ahead of me. "Come on, I'm hungry."

**KIBA**

Who's scared of the dark?

I admit, I wasn't - until tonight, that is. Then, I began to think about the 'might be there's'...

By evening we were all settled in, and tent-assignments were in place.

On the left side were:

. Kakashi and Gai

. Naruto, Shino and me

. Neji, Kai and Chouji

. Garaa and Kankurou

(In that order, my tent and the tent just after us were bigger, to sleep three people).

On the other side of the camp were:

. Sakura, Mari and Kin

. Tenten, Hinata and Ino

. Temari and Emma

. Anko and Kurenai

(Same rules as above, oh and Temari and Emma shared a tent with Emma's parrot, Jaws - funny name, really).

"S'mores, s'mores, s'mores!" Chouji sings happily as we walk to the campfire that evening. "They're very delicious things!"

"If we didn't have s'mores," Mari bounds up beside us. "What would we do..?"

"Don't even _mention_ life without s'mores!" Chouji yells, and we all laugh.

Soon, we're all sitting around the campfire (Naruto wasn't allowed _too_ close to it) and eating s'mores for dessert.

I watch the new guy, Kankurou, make a s'more-burger out of round biscuits, brought from home.

I watch Tenten put marshmallows on hers to look like panda ears.

I watch in interest as Chouji and Naruto make chocolate-only s'mores.

I watch Hinata make a double-marshmallow s'more.

I watch Neji make a double-chocolate s'more.

I watch Emma, I think her name is, make a double-chocolate _and_ a double-marshmallow s'more.

"Water!" She, Chouji and Naruto are gasping.

Luckily, Emma brought back _more_ then enough from the creek.

"Let's sing!" Ino says brightly.

"Yeah!" Goes everyone but Sakura.

Anko is off somewhere, plotting all our demises, Gai went to bed early, Kurenai is organising the supplies (again) and Kakashi is watching to make sure Naruto doesn't go through with his want to run and jump over the fire.

"_She'll be comin' round the mountain when she comes_!" Ino begins, and everyone joins in.

"_She'll be drivin' six white horses when she comes_!"

"Horses aren't white, they're _grey_." I hear Emma whisper to Temari.

Then, I start a song: "_Oh-oh, it's rough, rough, rough, rough being a dog, eating dinner out of a can_!"

"_Oh I'd like to go to a restaurant and eat steak just like a man_!" Kankurou knows the song!

"No," His sister teases him. "_You_ just want to eat _steak_!"

We all laugh.

Then, Naruto starts singing: "_Oh-oh, it ain't gonna rain no more, no more_!"

"Oh yeah!" _Hinata_ forgets to be shy, and joins in: "_It ain't gonna rain no more, no more_! _So how the heck can I wash my neck_? _If it ain't gonna rain no more_?"

"That reminds me of..." Emma suddenly says, and everyone looks at her. She blushes in the firelight. "Umm, Nee-San, Kanky and Garaa know it..."

"Oh, I hear ya." 'Kanky' grins at her. "_Wait for rain, to come down_!"

"_Wait for rain, all year round_!" Temari adds.

"_It's the talk of the town, goin' round_!" Emma adds.

Then Garaa sings: "_Hear that rain, coming down_!"

"_Hear that rain, what a mighty sound_!" Temari trills.

"_It's the talk of the town, coming down_!" Emma sings.

"Ooh, that was _lovely_!" Mari sighs.

"Know any more songs from Suna?" Kai wants to know.

"Yeah." Temari looks proud, and teaches us a few more songs, like _Under The Boardwalk_ (her favourite), _Bind-I Rap_ (Garaa's favourite), _We Are The Champions_ (Kankurou's favourite) and _Never Ending Story_ (Emma's favourite).

"Okay." Sakura says suddenly, and we all look at _her_, as Emma and Kankurou finish the last part of _Never Ending Story_ in a duet (they sound _good_, man). "Let's tell ghost stories. I'll start." She clears her throat. "I call this one, _She Wore A Red Bandanna Around Her Neck, But NOT For The Reason You Believe_..."

It's _not_ the one how the bandanna's keeping her head on, and we're all silent as Sakura finishes.

I keep glancing at Emma and _her_ red bandanna, but she just says: "Cool Sakura. Very...realistic. Okay, my turn. I call this one, _Love Me For Eternity_."

The title _sounded_ like a death metal song, but Emma's story was chilling, gripping and her haunting lyrics didn't hurt - or help, because we were _all_ tense and shaking slightly when she'd finished.

"My turn." Neji says suddenly. "This story is called, _Don't Turn Around_."

_That_ one may have done it. The _title_ was chilling, the _story_? Filled with bloody footprints, people hearing demonic voices, a couple going insane from madness and fear and, in the end, everyone died.

We were all speechless, _I_ for one was in shock that those three could scare everyone so much.

Then, I glance at Mari, and wonder: _I know, HER idea of a horror-story is filled with FISH, or even just ONE fish...heh, heh, heh..._

I daren't say the word even, because of the cliff...


	16. EMMA IS MINE

16

16

EMMA IS _MINE_

**NARUTO**

"WAKE UP EVERYBODY!" I am screaming, hoping someone will hear me.

"NARUTO, SHUT UP!" I don't care if it's Neji.

He scrambles out of his tent, his eyes widen and he calls: "Everyone, quick, the teachers abandoned us!"

Everyone is up quickly after Neji says _that_ and discover, not only is it true, but...

"AAUURGGHH!!" Sakura screams. "_MARI'S_ MISSING!! SHE'S MISSING, AND SHE WAS A _GIRL SCOUT_!! WHY GOD, _WHY_!!"

"Now don't cry!" Kin snaps at her. "Kiba, Hinata, Kankurou, Temari, Garaa and Shino are missing too, but that's no reason to panic. The teachers probably took them with them, or something."

Ino, Tenten, Emma, Chouji, Kai, Neji, Jaws and I all stare at her.

"Everyone go get dressed!" She says, sounding _a lot _like Anko. "Then we can read the note I just found."

We all _zip_ inside our tents, change, and pack up quickly.

"Okay," Kin reads flatly. "Ha, ha, ha campers, we left you here, and your friends are elsewhere. From Anko. Of course.

Don't worry, stay calm, there's enough food if you ration it carefully. Love Kurenai.

Someone keep an eye on Naruto, and on Chouji and the food. From Kakashi.

Follow the trail markers of red bandannas and _try_ not to get lost! All the best, Gai."

Kin looks up.

"So," Says Tenten slowly. "We have to follow the markers _and_ find the others?"

"A _real_ test of survival." Neji snaps.

"How _fun_." I frown at him. _Here's my big chance to be a hero!_

"We'd better find Mari." Sakura says.

"Hey." Chouji speaks up. "_I_ was a brownie back in primary school, see?" He shows us _his_ badge, which looks like a certain chocolate dessert. "_I_ know as much as Mari does!" He adds proudly.

"Yeah, everything _except_ rationing food!" Ino snaps.

Chouji glares at her.

"Look, before we all start fighting," It looks like Kin is gonna be in charge. "Let's find the first trail marker and assign buddies."

"There it is!" Tenten suddenly points to one in a tree.

"Good eye-sight." Kin tells her. "Okay, I want _you_ as my buddy."

"I'm going with Chouji!" Ino says quickly, glaring at Sakura.

"Yay! I get Sakura!" I cheer.

Sakura glares at me angrily. "I am..." She begins, but no one hears her except me.

So, Emma is paired up with Neji, and she is pink-faced and he is smiling slightly.

Hmm...

**MARI**

I am standing up to my ankles in water...

Something presses against my legs.

I look down.

The pike stares back at me.

"I...ah...awa...a...ba...awabah..." I stammer, stunned, shocked and scared.

More pike join it, and soon a whole _school_ surrounds me.

"KKKAAAIII!!" I scream at the top of my lungs.

**KAI**

"KKKAAAIII!!"

"Mari's in trouble." I say to Temari.

"_We're_ in trouble!" She snaps.

The cougars are getting closer.

"Maybe they're not hungry?" I suggest hopefully.

One of the cougars is smacking its lips and eyeing us greedily.

"Oh yeah, _that's_ believable!" Temari is snappy today.

"I didn't even know there _were _cougars in Konoha."

"Tell that to _them_!" She snaps.

So I lean over the rock face and do so, and Temari stares at me, and then giggles.

YES! I MADE TEMARI GIGGLE! SHE LIKES ME!

**MARI**

Okay, so Kai's not coming, or Kai _can't_ come either way I'll have to deal with this.

I count to three.

I count to five.

Stop stalling.

I take a deep breath.

I let it out.

I start coughing and try to breathe just normally and not choke.

I sigh.

Okay, Mari, be the girl, come on be the girl!

Eye of the tiger...

_It's the, eye of the tiger..._

I suddenly _charge_ across the river like a bat outta hell, and the pike give chase for some reason!

No! No! No!

_I_ will win, _not_ the...the...

"_FIIISHHH!!_" I scream, and hurtle myself onto the river bank.

I lay there, breathing hard, and then a smile creeps across my face.

"I did it!" I cheer, laughing and standing up. I stick my tongue out at the pike. "Nya, nya, nya, nya, nya, nya!" I tease them.

Then, one jumps up onto the bank!

"EEKK!!" I scream, and I wanna run away but something holds me back. I just grab a stick with a pointy end, and slam it down hard into the beached (banked?) pike.

I stare at it on the end of the stick and watch it die, then look up and see Harry Potter flying on a Thestral.

"Okay, so it has its perks." I say and then go and gather some wood for a fire. Maybe I can catch _more_ fish - and _eat_ them.

Fearfully greet them...then...eat them!

Me Mari, brave fisherwoman! I fear no fish! No pike, no whale, no stonefish, only _big_ shark! And, ah, salmon, cause they _look_ scary.

But, from now on I, Mari, no longer fear fish.

**KANKUROU**

"Emma!? Emma, where _are_ you!?" Garaa and I are both walking through the woods and yelling.

Occasionally, one of us will yell out for Nee-San too, but mostly it was Emma. Every once in a while, Garaa or I would sort of just say loudly: "Uh, Jaws?" But if we _didn't_ find him, that'd be okay with me.

_What if she's by herself? Or hurt? Or ill? Or something ATTACKED her!?_ I am paranoid about a lot of things, and Emma is one of them.

So small, so little, so innocent, (so cute)...

"So what?" Garaa suddenly stops in front of me. I stop too. "So, what'dya know?" Garaa repeats. "It's Hyuga Hinata!"

She spies us, and cries: "Don't come closer!"

"Why not?" I ask her.

"Rattlesnake!" She cries.

I see it on the ground now, between us, and I flinch back and grimace. "Oh, ah, right. See what ya mean Hyuga...oh dear..."

Garaa is bolder then I at times. He just marches straight forward, picks up the snake and hurtles it into the bushes.

"Garaa, you _baka_, what if it _bit_ you!?" I yell at him.

He points at Hinata. "She's a nurse."

I glance at her.

She blushes. "In training." She mutters.

"Well, there's no antivenom, so you'd be screwed even if she was _doctor_!" I snap at Garaa. To Hinata I ask more nicely: "Have you seen anyone else? Emma, or Temari?"

She shakes her head. "No, no sign of Emma, Nee-San or anyone."

I sigh. "Great, _now_ what?"

"Ah," Garaa is suddenly backing away. "Um..."

"Not _now_!" I growl impatiently. Can't he see I'm _pensive_?

"Uh, Kankurou..." Hinata is inching after Garaa.

"What!?" I snap, standing up and turning around to face the giant anaconda. "Oh, that..."

Garaa, Hinata and I begin running for our lives.

**NEJI**

Great! Em's my partner!

Damn! She's hardly said anything to me since we set out from the stupid campsite!

The only four things she's said are:

Let's go. To Jaws, when we first set out on this little expedition (if only I'd know...)

Okay. To Kin, when Kin asks her how she's feeling.

That's okay. To Tenten, when Tenten thanks her for spotting a trail marker before anyone else can.

Whoa! _Care_ful! To Naruto, when he nearly falls off the side of a cliff and she grabs him because she's closest. (Me? I was just gonna let him fall).

See!? _None_ of those things she said to me!

It wasn't until we had been travelling for about an hour, when she suddenly says to me: "I hope Hinata's alright, Neji Hyuga."

I am stunned, but recover and reply coolly: "I'm sure she is." _I_ know what Hinata's _really_ like. Then, grudgingly, I add: "Umm, I hope your friends are okay too...Temari, Kankurou and Garaa..."

She looks at me and gives me the most charming of smiles, her whole face lights up!

I melt then. That does it, I _must_ make her like me, if she doesn't already!

I recall advice Sasuke once got from his older brother Itachi:

1. Know her name, and make sure she knows yours - okay, no doubt she knew _both_ my names.

2. Make sure she knows you _care_ - well, she'd seemed happy enough when I mentioned her friends...

3. Find out one of her interests, and try to find a common ground...

4. Take her out to a place _she'd_ like to go to (the monster truck rally's only fine if _she_ suggests it)...

5. YOU try to find a couple you're most like...

Okay, that last one's easy.

Now, four I'd have to work on _after_ we got through playing Lois and Clarke.

Three...

"Em...ma?" I ask her.

"Hmm?" We've stopped at a river for a break, and I made sure to sit next to her.

"Did you hear, Simple Plan's coming to Konoha?" I pray this will work.

Her eyes light up. "_Yeah_!" She exclaims, forgetting to be shy. "Nee-San tried to get tickets for Kanky, but they're sold out..." She looks downcast again. "_I_ wanted to go too..." She says softly.

Hmm...suddenly, I realise that having an Uncle in the music industry has _many_ benefits...

"Don't give up faith." I tell her, since _I_ didn't, and look where _I_ am - I just solved the problems to questions three _and_ four! _And_, I realise smugly, it's a double-edged sword - I can make Emma happy _and_ piss Kankurou off _big time_!

Emma smiles at me again. "There's a grizzly bear behind you." She says seriously.

I can see it's rearing reflection in the water.

"Shall we run for our lives?" I ask her grandly.

"Oh yes, let's." She says formally.

More like _swim_ for it, as we fling ourselves into a river, but the grizzly manages to swipe the side of my stomach open!

"GYAAAURGH!!" I scream, and a string of words runs through my mind, starting with 'D', 'S', 'F', '_M_F' and even 'C'.

**EMMA**

Oh no! The bear has swiped at Neji and a massive chunk is now missing from his side!!

I wonder if the bear got the others.

Okay, I grab Neji and he's unconscious and the river carries us downstream.

"Squawk!" Jaws followed us. He grabs a vine, and tosses it to me, and I catch it.

The vine's attached to a tree, so I can pull me and Neji onto the bank.

"Neji Hyuga!" I cry, kneeling beside him.

My stars, the _blood_...

Get a grip girl, think about Neji!

"Neji Hyuga, can you hear me?" I ask him, swallowing my fear.

"Nnn..." He murmurs.

"Jaws, get help!" I bark, and Jaws flies off.

I quickly get the top off of Neji, and survey the injury. Nice and impressive but _bad_.

"Stay awake Neji Hyuga, talk to me." I say, as I pull out of my pocket: a _really_ long rolled-up bandage, about six bottles of anaesthetic, a needle and thread.

It pays to be prepared.

I took a few years of med school. I learnt this vital stitching-up thing, but I would _need_ a doctor soon!

I start by cleaning the needle (and thread) with the anaesthetic, and then I pour some on Neji's wound.

He grimaces and I say: "Sorry, but this _will_ hurt."

I push the needle into his skin and start threading.

Neji starts screaming, and I'm practically _sitting_ on him so he won't thrash about too much.

"This _hurts_!!" Neji shouts.

"I _know_!!" I respond, nearly jabbing myself with the pin.

"Emma, _why_!?"

"NEJI JUST _HOLD STILL_!!"

I gasp, and his eyes widen, because I just called him Neji.

He says: "You're beautiful." And then he faints.

Oh great.

**SASUKE**

Itachi abandons me out here, leaving me with his motor-bike _and_ mine! Now what!?

The answer appears in the form of a bird, and it seems that I have to follow it. I follow it into the woods, and I hear running water, then someone yells: "NEJI JUST _HOLD STILL_!!"

I run as fast as I can and, when I reach the river bank, there's Emma kneeling beside Neji, who is unconscious and she's just finished stitching up a wound on his side. Both of them are blood-covered.

"Sasuke!" Emma shrieks, running over to me and _hugging_ me. "Jaws, thanks! Sasuke, help! Neji needs a doctor!"

"I know." I detach myself from her and go over and _carefully_ I pick Neji up.

Walking back to the road, she tells me what's been going on.

We get back to the bikes and her eyes light up in recognition.

"You take Neji, carefully." Emma says, rushing over to Itachi's bike. "I'll go ahead, I know where the hospital is!" She jumps on (no helmet) and starts the bike up and is off from 0K to about 100K in a second.

"Squawk!" Jaws the parrot says. "She can ride, she is very good at riding motor-cycles! Squawk!"

"Well, she'd better be." I say, as I put my helmet on neji (Just In Case). "That's my _brother's_ bike."

MEG: I know, I know, these chappies are getting kinda LONG…


	17. A CHAPTER

17

17

A CHAPTER

**EMMA**

Oh, _why_ did I tell Sasuke I _knew_ where the hospital was?

I'm careening at breakneck speed through the streets of Konoha.

"Hey!" Someone yells from a car as we stop at a red light. "You'll be in hospital if you don't SLOW DOWN!!"

"Where _is_ it!?" I ask him hopefully.

He points out the window, and I look to where he's pointing at this building that looks like a giant could use it as a jousting pole.

"Alright!" I declare, as the light turns green and I rev the bike's engine. "I am going…to the big pointy building!"

"Freak." I hear the guy mutter, but I don't care.

Gotta get Neji some help!

…

"I _have_ to get to the hospital!" I desperately beg the policeman.

"Yeah, if you _don't_ wear a helmet." He drawls, and is writing a ticket.

"I _told_ you why…" I begin but, just then, Sasuke goes by with Neji.

"HEY!" The cop cries out.

_Oh help, help, help, help, help, help, help, help, HELP!!_ I think in a panic.

Suddenly, without warning, a man in a black suit runs down the footpath, carrying a little kid, I think a _kidnapped_ kid.

A woman in a black leather body suit and sunglasses runs after him.

The policeman gasps, and goes after them, calling for back-up and telling me to 'stay put'.

Yeah, right.

As soon as he's gone, I am _so_ a ghost.

**NEJI**

I can…_hear_ things…

Voices, strange voices…

People, I don't _know_…I don't _know_ these people…

I don't _know_ where I am…

Where am I?

What happened?

_Why_ did it happen?

"Operating theatre B is vacant!"

"Squawk!"

Jaws? The parrot?

"Call Dr. Jones!"

"Get his stats, quickly!"

"His name's Neji Hyuga!"

Is that…Sasuke?

"He'll need a transfusion!"

"We don't have enough type O!"

"Ai's blood-type is O!"

Ai? What's _she_ doing here?

Was that…_Emma's_ voice?

"We have a volunteer!"

"_Hurry_!"

…

**NARUTO**

12:15

Great. So, I get abandoned. Big deal.

I stand on a rock and scream: "YOU WILL NOT BEAT ME!! I CHOOSE _LIFE_!!"

I run through the forest, determined to get out.

_It's the eye of the tiger, it's the thrill of the fight  
Risin' up to the challenge of our rival  
And the last known survivor stalks his prey in the night  
And he's watchin' us all in the eye of the tiger..._

…

6:30

I'm sitting on the rock, bawling my baby blue eyes out…

"WHY!?" I scream. "_WHY_!?"

Sakura abandoned me, EVERYONE abandoned me…

"WAHAAAAAA!!"

_Lonely  
I'm Mr lonely,  
I have nobody,  
for my owwwn  
I'm so lonely,  
I'm Mr. Lonely  
I have nobody,  
for my owwnnn  
I'm so lonely..._

"WAHAAAAAA!!"

…

MEG: Naruto is such a wuss…


	18. GETTING BACK ON TRACK?

18

18

GETTING BACK ON TRACK?

**KANKUROU**

Everyone - and I mean EVERYONE - is yelling at the teachers, whom we've FINALLY found!

"YOU ABANDONED US!!" Sakura shrieks.

"I WAS _SO_ SCARED!!" I think that's Temari. Wait, why is she leaning on _Kai_? And what's with the claw marks. Wait! Were they..?

"THOSE COUGARS NEARLY _KILLED_ US!!" Kai shouts. Oh, _that's_ what's with the claw marks. Not...

"I MISSED AN EPISODE OF _THE BALD AND THE BRAINY_!!" Ino yells indignantly.

Oh, what a shame.

We're all standing in the school parking lot...or, at least I _think_ it's everyone.

Kakashi is counting evryone, and suddenly he goes: "We're missing three students...where's Emma and Neji?"

Hinata lets out a little yelp, and so do I, I am sorry to say, but hey, where _is_ Emma!? And Hyuga...grr...he'd better not...

"And, where's Naruto?" Kakashi goes on.

Sakura's green eyes open wide. "Umm..." She begisn to back away towards the road. "He's...just...around here..." She takes off running and we can hear her running all the way up the street. Loser.

Kakashi turns back to us. "Temari, Kankurou and Garaa? Do you know where..?"

Temari shakes her head. "No. I hope Emma's okay."

"And Neji!" Hinata is defensive.

"Yeah, him too." Temari shrugs. I glare at her. "What?" She snaps. Hands on hips, she says: "Look, if..."

Ai Kinuta comes barreling into the car park. "EMMA AND NEJI ARE IN THE HOSPITAL!!" She yells, dramatically.

**EMMA**

I could hear them coming before I could see them. It is like a low rumble, and then...

I peer casually out of the window of Neji's hospital room. Sasuke peers out with me.

"Oh great." He says sarcastically. "It's _Ino_."

"And Kankurou, Nee-San, Garaa, the teachers, everyone..." I add, pausing. Then: "But...not Naruto or Sakura...why?"

The mob below us stampede inside the hospital, and it's like a mini earthquake. Ever seen a wilderbeast stampede. This, that. Same thing.

"EMMA!!" Kankurou is yelling from somewhere below. Suddenly, I realise how worried I was about him, and the others, and how much I missed them.

"NEJI!?" Hinata's voice isn't _nearly_ as loud as Kankurou's but I can still tell she's worried.

"D'ya mind?" I ask Sasuke.

He grins at me. "Nah, go do some damage control."

I nod, and make my way down the hallway.

"EMMA!!" Kankurou spots me as I waltz into the lobby.

"KANKY!!" I yell back, and we run towards each other.

"Cathy, Heathcliffe!" Someone, I think it was Kiba, adds, and everyone laughs as Kankurou and I hug one another.

"You're okay!" Nee-San sounds amazed as she runs up to hug me, followed by Garaa. "What happened?"

I pause. Memories of the rapids come flooding back to me (get it?) And I shakily say: "Neji...he...the bear..."

Hinata gasps then, and I quickly add: "He's okay...room 107..."

SHOOMP!! Wow, that Hyuga girl can _move_.

**HINATA**

It's amazing how I can get to so many places so fast. I just finished saving Jimmy, went to the parking lot, and now here I am, racing to my cousin's side.

Out of curiosity, or maybe it's her radar, Ino follows me, and of course Sasuke is in the room.

I rush to Neji, Ino rushes to Sasuke, and reunions follow.

"Em...she...saved me..." Neji tells me in a whisper.

"Uh huh." I nod.

"She...CPR..."

"WHAT!?"

Temari has followed us, and so has Kai (those two seem stuck together now). Temari seems shocked.

"What's CPR?" Kai wants to know, and a long explanation follows.

Temari's face is growing stormier by the minute.

**MARI**

"Must. Get. In. Here." Chouji is standing before a vending machine.

_You are getting hungry._ It tells him.

I roll my eyes. Please, don't encourage him!

_It's time for a snack!_

"YES!!" Chouji yells, startling everyone in the waiting room.

I jump too, but then I smile. Chouji's kinda cute.


	19. SUMMER TIME

19

19

SUMMER TIME

**GARAA**

"Wow, the Casino Lodge, what a treat!!" Mushi is exclaiming.

It _is_ kinda cool, and our whole class somehow wound up here. Even Neji Hyuga, who is looking a lot better. I suppose having a rich family and access to good medical facilities doesn't hurt.

"I want to go swimming!!" Mari exclaims.

"Oh, me too." Emma agrees. She and Mari grin at one another. They've gotten to be really good friends now. Trouble is, so have Emma and _Neji_.

"Let's go to our rooms, and get changed?" Temari suggests, and we _all_ agree.

Kankurou, Temari and I are sharing a room. Next door is Hinata and Emma. Then is Neji and Naruto. (This is a dangerous arrangement, having Emma in between Neji and my brother).

Next door to them are Hoshi and Tenten. Then are Shikamaru and Chouji, followed by Mari and Kin, and then Kai and Kiba.

Across from them is Shino and Sasuke. Then is Ai and Sore, Lee and Dosu. Then is Mushi and Musha.

Sakura and Ino have rooms to theirselves. Snobs.

The boys are all wearing boardies, so I won't go into _that_ detail. I _will_ tell you about the _girls_ though (hey, I am a guy).

Temari is wearing a white bikini that has pale yellow stars on it (won't go into any detail with her, she's my Nee-San after all).

Hinata looks sweet in a lilac one piece with a little white skirt.

Tenten is wearing a dark blue racing suit with a red trim. Her towel has a panda on it.

Kin looks bored, and is wearing a simple black one piece with black boardies. She glares at everyone from behind dark sunnies. What's her problem anyways?

Sakura is wearing - what else? - a pink bikini with red bows at the front, and on the sides.

Ino is wearing a violet bikini with yellow zig-zag patterns on it.

Mushi is wearing a bright green one piece suit and her towel has Flick on it from _A Bug's Life_.

Musha is wearing a dark red one piece suit with black triangles on it. Her towel has one of the characters from Farthing Wood on it, the vixen called Whisper, I think it is (black ear tips?).

Hoshi is wearing about two inches of black bikini. Nuff said.

Sore is looking modest in a cream-coloured bikini with a light blue trim, and carrying a tropical beach towel.

Ai looks as 'chesty' as ever in a bright red bikini, black boardies and she is strutting around like she doesn't care _what_ people say about her (which, I believe, she doesn't - care, that is).

Mari is wearing a yellow and pink one piece, of course.

And, Emma is wearing a yellow triangle (I think that's it's brand name or something) bikini, with black boardies, and of _course_ her towel has Zinger on it, from Donkey Kong.

_My_ towel, BTW, has a _shark_ on it. Cool.

Well, I've never been much into swimming, but Kankurou throws me into the pool at every given opportunity, so today is no different.

Someone, I think Temari, starts singing some songs from High School Musical 2, and most of the other girls join in.

"How troublesome." Shikamaru sighs.

I looks around, and realise how much I've grown to know everyone here.

Like, Mari is typically as hyperactive as Lee and Naruto are, and I hope they'll run out of energy soon. Just _looking_ at them makes me tired.

Kai is sitting with Temari, and I notice Shikamaru shooting daggers at them with his eyes. Hmm…

Hoshi is…wait, is she _flirting with KANKUROU_!?

Where's…

My gaze bypasses:

Ino and Sakura on the diving board. Sakura does a swan dive, hollering like Martha the hippo, and a nearby swan sniffs and shakes her head.

Chouji being stopped by Kiba from diving in. "You'll drain the pool." Kiba says, not unkindly.

Musha and Mushi doing synchronized swimming, as Ai coaches them.

Sore is swimming laps with Zaku. Dosu watches.

Kin is garffitying a nearby wall. KIN IN SUMMER, she writes. Huh?

Hinata and Tenten talking about painting the surrounding landscapes. Hmm, mountains, deserts, yeah, I guess it _is_ pretty picturesque.

Sasuke is _nowhere_ to be seen. Where'd _he_ go?

Where's Shino? Oh, wait, he's watching Musha or Mushi.

Where's Neji?

Hinata looks up just then, and says: "Umm…mina…where is…Neji?"

Kankurou tears himself away from Hoshi, who looks annoyed, and he goes: "Yeah, where's Emi?"

"WHERE'S SASUKE!!" Ino and Sakura screech.

They spoke in unison…does that mean Sakura forgave everyone, or at least just Ino?

"_You_ can't go find him!" Naruto tells Sakura. "Remember? Your punishment? You have to do as _I_ say so."

Oh, yeah. Naruto punished Sakura for abandoning him in the wilderness last week.

**SASUKE**

"Level _ten_." I say dramatically.

Neji and Emma's eyes widen.

"VR is so cool." Emma adds in a whisper.

"I'm glad we found this room." Neji adds.

"Oh, Neji, what about your injury?" She asks him.

"I'm cool." He grins at her.

I roll my eyes.

"Hya!" I yell, as I pick up mu VR laser gun, and strike a pose. "Soul of the night, Sasuke Uchiha!"

"Whatever." Neji rolls his white eyes. "And I'm, what, Sonic The Hedgehog?"

"Cool." Emma giggles. "In the name of the moon, I will punish you! I am Sailor Moon!"

"More like Sailor Saturn with _that_ hair." Neji eyes Emma's short dark hair.

Emma rolls her eyes, and runs off through the room. We follow her.

"Hya!" We all yell. "Triple Tag-Team Torrent!!" We pelt a VR monster with our VR lasers.

"We won!" Emma cheers, and grabs Neji and my hands, and we run outside, where a hotel clerk congratulates us, and says we and our friends can eat for free for the rest of our stay!

"Chouji'll be so happy!" I say.

"_I'm_ happy!" Emma declares.

"Hey, what's this?" Neji suddenly stoops down, and picks something shiny up off the ground.

"It looks like a ring." I say. My heart suddenly turns cold. This is just like a movie…

Neji hold the ring up to Emma, and that's when Ino, Kankurou and Tenten appear.

"AAAUUURRRGGGHHH!!" Kankurou and Tenten both scream.

"THAT'S _MINE_!!" Ino adds angrily, stomps over, and snatches the ruby ring from Neji. "You thief!!" She adds.

"He is _not_!!" Tenten declares crossly.

Kankurou's face colour has, like, _so_ drained. "E…Emi?"

"This was so _not_ what it looked like, Kanky." She replies firmly. She glanced at me. _Was it?_ Her eyes say.

I shrug. _I dunno._

I decide to save her. "Come on Em, let's go." I grab her arm, and drag her off towards the bar. Do I wish to save Neji? Nah, let him save his own skin. He's cool, my best mate's tough as nails.

**ZAKU**

I stare out the plane window, wondering how everyone's going. I haven't seen them in ages, and now it's almost July 4th. I'll see them all at the BBQ, then take off again. Great. I _hate_ going on holiday, because I _like_ staying back in Konoha.

I wonder if I can bully the person next to me into giving me his vanilla and chocolate ice-cream in exchange for my vanilla and strawberry one…


	20. HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!

20

20

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!

**TEMARI**

"WHAAAAAAT!!" A voice screams from somewhere in the house. I drop the carrot and the knife, and bolt into the living room, where Imouto-San (Emma) is talking on the phone. She looks scared and excited and thrilled and shocked.

She hangs up calmly, then yells: "THEY WANT _ME_ TO SING TOMORROW NIGHT!! AT THE BBQ!!"

My mouth drops open.

Then, she adds: "_AND_, I'M SINGING WITH MARI!! AND, SASUKE IS PLAYING THE GUITAR, AND KIBA'S ON DRUMS, SHIKA'S ON BASS!!" She grabs me, and I grab her, and we hug, and Kankurou and Garaa wander in, and look at us as if we're loony or something.

**EMMA**

I was excited yesterday, but today I am nervous. Do I _look_ or _sound_ like someone who _likes_ to perform onstage? NO!

Do I have a choice.

Unfortunately, that's _also_ a no.

I meet up with Mari, Kiba, Shika and Sasuke the morning of July 4th, to rehearse. Bands _need_ to do that, because you _can't_ just improvise. Like, what tempo do they play at? What octaves and all?

We got it all sorted out, I'm a fast learner, which helps.

"The trains stopped running." Mari suddenly says, listening to her MP3 Player as we leave the school, where the instruments are being kept.

I stop in my tracks. "Oh no, how do I get home?" I ask, worriedly.

"I'll take you." Sasuke says. "I rode over here."

"Sweet." I say.

Soon, I am sitting behind Sasuke on his motorbike, he's not wearing a helmet, but he says _I'm_ more important.

Yay! I'm _important_!!

"My brother's been taking care of me since our parents died." Sasuke tells me at a set of traffic lights.

I nod, keeping my head on his shoulder so he knows. "Yeah, I'm…also an orphan…" I don't tell many people this, but I feel Sasuke will understand. He does.

"It's not easy, is it?" He asks me, as the light changes to green.

"No." I reply, as we head off. "But, I survive."

"We're survivors." He agrees.

I watch as we ride past Kankurou and Garaa, out shopping.

Oh no.

But, hey, they're survivors too. So are Tenten and Lee. And even Ino and Neji. And Sore.

Fellow orphans, or half-orphans. Huh…

**MARI**

"_Baby in the summertime, that is where I'll be_!" I sing onstage that night, and everyone's happy.

Or, at least, I _think_ they are.

Afterwards, when everyone's mingling, I see Kankurou confront Emma and Sasuke. Uh oh.

**KANKUROU**

"Emi, I _saw_ you!" I cry.

"Kankurou!" She sounds angry and defensive. "Sasuke was just giving me a lift home, because our trains stopped running!"

"It's true." Sasuke says quietly.

"Stay _out_ of this, Uchiha!" I tell him. Then, I turn back to Emma. "Just pick someone, Goddam it!" I tell her. "Me, Uchiha or Hyuga! Just pick!"

"THERE'S NO COMPARISON THERE!!" She yells. "AT LEAST _THEY_ DON'T _ACCUSE_ ME UNFAIRLY! KANKUROU, I _SAW_ YOU FLIRTING WITH HOSHI!!"

Hoshi appears from nowhere. 'Someone mention me?" She asks sweetly.

Emma's eyes are flashing, but with tears. "Goodbye." She says stiffly, and turns and runs.


	21. OVER THE EDGE

21

21

OVER THE EDGE

**EMMA**

I've never been so angry in my whole life! I _can't_ believe that Kankurou thinks I'm…

How _could_ he!?

Yes, I've stolen Sasuke's motorbike, and I'm riding without a helmet.

Sasuke and I just don't think we need them all the time.

I'm speeding, but I don't care. Anger, sadness and pain well up inside of me, I can't _handle_ it anymore. The fact that Kankurou, my very _best_ friend, or so I thought, doesn't even _trust_ me anymore, is enough to make me lose it completely.

I always thought he'd be on my side. Like Nee-San and Garaa. Do I still have _their_ trust?

I know I have Nee-San's love, unconditional and all. She's, like, my surrogate Mother or something.

And Garaa…ha, ha, my Otouto-Chan, or something.

I'll miss him, if Kankurou and I have a falling out.

Is it better to part of angry terms, getting your point across, or to just part?

Where am I going?

Why can't I see?

I realise, now, that I am blinded by tears. _That's_ why I can't see.

It's typical.

One minute I was there.

Then, I think I went off a cliff.

I don't remember anything after that.


	22. MEDICAL EMERGENCY

22

22

MEDICAL EMERGENCY

**KANKUROU**

"Who _cares_?" I say for the ten billionth time. "She's probably staying at _his_ place."

Temari glares at me. She reaches for the phone for the ten billionth time. "Something must've happened." She says, just as the phone rings.

"AURGH!!" We both scream.

Garaa, who was calm, picks up the phone. "Moshi, moshi?" He says. He suddenly goes pale, I mean _pale_. He hangs up, and just stares.

"What?" Temari is pale too. "Is it..?"

Garaa nods. "She was on Sasuke's motorbike…went off the cliff into the river…she's…"

Dead?

Oh God, no. All the memories of our fight flood back to me. If I hadn't…

"IT'S _YOUR_ FAULT!!" Temari yells at me. "IF YOU HADN'T FOUGHT WITH HER, SHE NEVER WOULD'VE…" She gasps, and buries her face in her hands. Her shoulders are shaking.

Garaa sighs. 'It takes too to tango." He says. "But…she's not dead."

I'm already running out to door, heading for the hospital.

**NEJI**

When I first heard she was in the hospital, I wouldn't have believe it, except Hinata told me, and she heard it from Tenten, who heard it from Ai, who _works_ there, so…

I raced over there, with Hinata and Tenten in tow.

"She's still in surgery." The doctor told us. He glanced at me. "Ah, you…"

Oh great, it's the doctor that helped me when the grizzly bear attacked me.

Em saved my life then. I can't believe I may not be able to save hers now.

**SAKURA**

"Hey." I whisper, standing beside Emma's hospital bed. "I came when no one else would…because…I was worried…" She looks so broken, lying there in bandages. I feel unexpected tears in my eyes, and to stop them from leaking their way out, I say: "I mean, who did that cliff think it was, anyway?" I place a large pink teddy bear on her bedside table, next to Hinata and Tenten's flowers. "I…umm…hope you get better, soon." Then, I really _do_ start to cry.

Oh my God!

And, wouldn't you _know_ it, wouldn't you _just_ know it, in walks Sasuke!

"Sakura?" He asks me, placing a blue and pink wrapped present on the bedside table.

I try to smile, and wipe away my tears. "H…hey, Sasuke…just…saying hi, and all…" I gesture to Emma's hospital bed.

"Yeah." Sasuke looks _so_ tired. "I can't even be angry at her for totalling my bike. Poor Em…Sakura?"

"Hmm?" I glance up at him, still crying a little, silently.

"I'm sorry…about your party." He tells me.

I really _can_ smile at him now. "Thanks." I reply.

**NARUTO**

Mari and I visited Emma in the late afternoon.

"Can this get any worse?" Mari whispers, staring at our classmate, lying practically _dead_ in that hospital bed.

"Chouji's outside." I remark. "Breaking into a vending machine."

Mari has to giggle. "Naruto, you're a _baka_."

I grin. "I know." I reply, placing the two free ramen coupons by Emma's bed.

Mari glances at them. "Hey, isn't there supposed to be _three_…oh, I get it. You _used_ one."

I blush. "I couldn't help it."

Mari rolls her eyes. "Obviously."

**AI**

"It's terrible that you're in the hospital." I tell Emma. "I heard people with concussions can, like, still _hear_ things. So, here goes, I'll tell you a little about what's been happening. Zaku pitched a fit, and won't go on the holiday after all. He says: 'Em's in the hospital, I'm _not_ leaving until I know she'll pull through'! The teachers all sent you a giant card. It's in the corner of your room which, by the way, overlooks the river. Yesterday, a duck flew into your room, but you slept through the whole thing. Umm, let's see. Kiba snuck Akamaru in here, and Temmy – your Nee-San – snuck Tequila (the dog) in as well, and the nurses didn't know because _I_ distracted them long enough for them all to have a nice visit, which would've been nicer if you'd just woken up. But, hey, it's not _your_ fault. Umm, Jaws keeps coming and going, sometimes Garaa brings him in. I think Kankurou just folded you two thousand paper cranes or something, they're all hanging up around here. It's like an aviary. Lee's already planned your rehab, so watch out! Dosu and Sore came and visited you two days ago, Kin helped Zaku sneak out of his house and in to see you. Shino and Mushi bought you a book on bugs, I dunno _how_ you're gonna find a use for _that_ information. Umm…Kai also dropped by yesterday, oh and Sasuke's _not_ angry at you. Naruto, Mari, Tenten, Hinata and Neji all came to see you. Chouji brought you two boxes of chocolates, and kept one for himself. Go figure. I dunno if Hoshi came in to see you yet, but Musha did. And, Shikamaru says it's 'troublesome that you're in here'." I sigh, and stand up. "He's right…okay, so I guess that's it. So…I'll come in and talk to you later, okay?"

If she could've, she would've said that was okay, back.

Sigh.

**GARAA**

"Broken arms, left ankle sprained, cracked ribs (very painful), concussion." The doctor is sighing. "She won't wake up." He adds.

Kankurou, Temari and I are silent. How can Emma, our surrogate sister, be in the hospital, clinging to life, because of some stupid argument? I can't even write this in my diary, it's too…_painful_.

"Let me go in again." Kankurou says. It's our tenth visit here, July 13th. The doctor lets him go in, muttering about how if she doesn't wake up soon, then…

**KANKUROU**

"Emi." I whisper, as I kneel beside her bed, remorseful at her broken body lying in that hospital bed. "This is…_all_ my fault…" My voice cracks, and tears leak from my eyes. "I know I'm a _baka_, I know I don't deserve you…but…_please_, don't die…not yet." I reach for her hand, and take it in my own. "The world…still needs you…_I_ still need you…I don't care fi you _do_ choose Hyuga or Uchiha, just please _stay_…"

I can't _believe_ what I'm saying, but hey, it's _my_ fault she's in here, isn't it?

I lean over, very carefully, and do what I've wanted to do for years.

I kiss her on the lips.

Hey, it worked with Sleeping Beauty, didn't it?

I realise then, that I _do_ care if she chooses someone other then me. I've loved her for so long, I _can't_ let her go. I _won't_. If – when? – she wakes up, I _will_ fight for her.

But…

**EMMA**

Have you ever had concussion?

I dreamt, when I did.

I dreamt about my past. I saw my parents, even though I can't remember them. I saw myself finding Jaws. Meeting the Sand Siblings.

Macleans VS Pantene Races against Garaa. How and why he _always_ won.

Nee-San, her cooking. Her cleaning habits. I've missed that.

And, Kankurou. Kanky. My very best friend. How could I have been so angry at him?

Then, I felt something strange, a tingling sensation in my lips, which spread through my whole body. I moved my fingers. Someone was holding my hand, squeezing. I squeezed back.

"E…Emi!?" I hear the voice, as if it's far away. Am I quite ready to come out of my coma/concussion just yet?

Well, whether or not I am, I can tell that Kankurou _wants_ me to, and I can't say no to him. I can't ever see how I want to hurt him again. I _don't_. I _always_ want Kanky to be happy.

_If things get real for me down here, promise to take me back to the tune we played, before you went away…_

How strange, to be coming back to _The Sounds Of White_, by Missy Higgins. I like the song though, so I come back.

I open my eyes, and find Kanky kneeling there beside my bed, staring at me in shock.

My gaze sweeps around the room. Yup, everything Ai said was true.

Tears spring to my eyes.

"If things get real for me down here, promise to take me to, before you went away, if only for a day…" I whisper, my voice feels strange, hey, I've been _asleep_ for God knows how many days, since that motorcycle crash on July 4th!

But, I'm awake now.

"The Special Two?" I whisper.

"Ten Days…" Kankurou replies, before he throws his arms around me, and I think I begin to cry then.

"I'm sorry…I made you worry…" I tell him. "But…Kanky…how could I _not_ choose you?"

I think that makes him happier then he's _ever_ been before…


	23. AUTHOR'S NOTE

AUTHOR'S NOTE

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

**I am not going to have access to an internet for…God knows how long (and I'm sure he does).**

**So, I'll put this on each of my unfinished stories, to let ya'll know, in case I NEVER get onto an internet again (it's possible).**

_PLEASED TO MEET YOU_

Hmm, what can I say about this story?

It's been fun to write in everyone's POV's, and using same strange tense, I am writing this now, as opposed to I wrote this then.

I can't say this story is finished, because the ending's not very good. The unposed questions still stand:

. What will Neji think of Emma's decision?

. Who gets to go and see Simple Plan?

. Why didn't Emma just turn everyone onto using her diet out there in the forest?

. Is Temari going out with Kai?

. Will Hinata and Hanabi's secret agent lives be revealed to the others?

I think I still need to answer all of these questions, as an author, it is my duty.


End file.
